


Book One: Purity

by SelenaProductions



Series: Magic Is Elemental [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Comedy, Family Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-07-14 20:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 72,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7188212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelenaProductions/pseuds/SelenaProductions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What truly determines who one is, and who they will become? All Siku desires is understanding, a place to belong, and discovers more than she bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Witch?

Siku floated beneath the waves, the stormy sky encouraging the tides to drag her further down into the dark abyss below. Her struggles became weaker until she lost her will to fight, and the water clogged her lungs, her body falling still. Her mind went into a panic, but she soon relaxed, preparing herself for death. Before she slipped away, a white light surrounded her, and she vanished.

….

"You're right, Aang, we need to talk to Siku." Katara sighed. "I can't believe everything went by so fast. It seems like only yesterday she was this little bundle in my arms."

She glanced down at Tenzin, who was fast asleep in her cradling embrace. Time really had flown by. One minute, she was a mere peasant trying to aid her struggling tribe alongside her brother in a hopeless, war torn world, and the next, she and the others became war heroes.

Now Katara and Aang were married with four beautiful children, all of which were a handful in their own way. Tenzin was going to be the air-bender she knew her husband desperately needed, Kya was her little water-bender, and Bumi, despite being a non-bender, lived up to his mischievous namesake.

Then there was Siku, a non-bender as well, yet she possessed powers Katara never thought possible. Siku could make anything move or disappear at will, and seemed to get herself into and out of strange incidents on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, everything their eldest did was by accident, and it was impossible to teach Siku to control her abilities, leaving Katara no choice but to forbid her from learning. Instead, she tried to raise Siku as a future member of the Water Tribes.

_Perhaps that was a mistake_. Katara lowered her head.

Aang stood. "It's what must be done. Otherwise, things are only going to get worse. Sokka's still trying to smooth things over with the council after what Siku did yesterday."

"I know. I know." She laid Tenzin down in his crib. "But she's still so young, and wasn't her world supposed to be in the middle of a war? What if it's not safe?"

"Then I'll go with her and make sure everything's fine," Aang said, "Now let's go. There's no telling how she's going to take this."

Katara stood. It still felt too soon. Their daughter was just a child, and they were her only family. She couldn't bear the thought of being separated from one of her children forever, never knowing what might become of them.

Aang reached into his pocket. "The pendant is gone." He searched his pockets again before scanning the room. "I had it a second ago."

A sting of worry shot through Katara's heart, and she was overcome with a paranoid sensation. Something had happened, but what? Her pulse quickened when a hasty knock rapped against the door.

"Momma! Daddy!" Two young voices echoed on the other side.

Aang slid the door open, revealing Bumi and Kya.

"Siku's gone!" Bumi said.

"Yeah, I found this on her bed." Kya held up a small scroll.

Aang took the scroll and read it. "Dear Mom and Dad, I know the truth. I overheard you talking, and I decided that I'm going to find my real family. I want to know who I am, whatever I am. I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, and being a burden on you both. Love, Siku."

Katara put a hand to her chest and shared a look with Aang before glancing out the window at the storm ranging outside.

Bumi raised an eyebrow. "Momma, what's going on?"

"Nothing, sweetie. I want you to take Kya and go to your rooms while your father and I find your sister," Katara said.

Bumi and Kya looked at each other before groaning, "Okay."

Katara and Aang rushed outside toward the balcony. From there they had a good view of Airbender Island, and they tried to spot any sign of their daughter.

"It's hard to see in this storm," Katara said, "I'll check the east side."

"I'll get the acolytes to help me search the rest." Aang used his air bending to leap toward one of the other buildings.

Katara began her search while bending the harsh rain out of her way. Her heart felt like it was about leap out of her chest at the guilt that was filling her.

_We should've said something sooner._ She looked around. "Siku! Where are you! Please answer me! Siku!"

"Over here! We found something!" Yee-Li, one of the female acolytes, called out.

Katara raced to the north shore where the acolytes were gathered. Thudding against the rocks and silt was a canoe. It was splintered and had been severed in half by the crashing waves.

Yee-Li approached Katara with a large sack in her hands, "This washed up along with it."

The sack was drenched, and Katara fumbled with the strings. She heard Aang land amongst the group.

"What happened? Did you find…?" He noticed the canoe. "Oh no."

Katara opened the sack. "This is Siku's. She went out into the storm."

She took out a stuffed penguotter from the sack. She had given it to Siku on her fifth birthday, but now it was worn from weather damage. Tears spilled from Katara's eyes, and she felt Aang embrace her.

"Our baby. She's––" She buried her face against his chest.

"Don't think like that," Aang said, "I can go out and search. There's still a chance she survived."

"Be careful. I don't want you to get caught in this storm too." Katara shook her head. "What am I going to tell Kya and Bumi?"

"Nothing until we're sure." Aang took out his glider. "I'll be right back."

Katara watched him soar into the air. The very thought of their daughter being dead made her heart sink. She didn't even want to think about it, but it was the most realistic outcome. A part of her wanted to hope that there was a chance Siku was still out there, lost and frightened, but what were the odds of that?

….

"Mom?" Siku opened her eyes and jolted upright.

Her body shook, her nerves on fire, and she tried to slow her breathing, the flashes of her nightmare swirling around in her mind. She tried to calm herself and looked around.

_This isn't my room_. She furrowed her brow. "Mom? Dad?"

The white walls looked dingy, and the room had a very old-fashioned, almost grimy decor. A nightstand rested on the right side of her bed, and there was a small window on the left, illuminating everything with cool rays of light. Across from the bed, against the far corner, were two chairs, and the room itself was fairly cramped.

_Where am I?_ Looking down, Siku saw that someone had changed her clothes and placed her in a white frock.

Had she been rescued, or possibly kidnapped? Springing out of bed, she ran to the door, but it was locked. She beat against it, screaming at the top of her lungs, but when she didn't receive an answer, she retreated until she was against the wall. She sat down and hugged her knees close to her chest.

"Mom? Dad? Bumi! Kya! Where are you?" Tears streamed down her face. "Someone help me!"

The door opened, and a woman in her fifties entered the room with a tray of food in her hands. Judging by her clothes, Siku assumed she was a servant of the house.

"Goodness. What's all the commotion?" The woman spoke with a thick accent. "Are ye alright, hen?"

"Who… who are you?" Siku pressed herself against the wall. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"Calm down, hen." The woman set the tray on one of the chairs before kneeling down beside her. "I'm Madam Baird, a healer. Ye were brought here to St. Mungo's hospital after that nasty accident."

Siku moved away from her. "What are you talking about?"

"Some Ministry employees brought ye in. Said ye appeared in the fountain, not movin', like ye had drowned," Baird said, "Nearly scared those folks to death."

_I'm not dreaming?_ Siku's pulse quicken. "What nation are we in?"

"England, hen." Baird smiled.

She furrowed her brow. "Where's that?"

"London, England, a part of the United Kingdom in Europe. Goodness, don't ye know yer geography?" Baird helped her up and guided her toward the bed.

Siku was too stunned to resist and let the healer set her back on the bed. "I'm not from around here, but could you tell me if this England is near the Earth Kingdom? I should probably get back home."

Baird raised both of her eyebrows and sighed. "Oh my, yer gonna need more rest, but first I brought ye something to eat. Ye need to keep yer strength up."

Baird pulled out a wooden stick from the pocket of her apron. It looked like it had been finely crafted, but it was now worn down from use. She waved the stick at the tray, and it floated from its spot in the chair onto Siku's lap.

Siku froze, shifting her gaze from the tray to Baird and back. "How did you do that? Is it some new kind of bending?"

"Bending? Goodness me." Baird shook her head. "It's magic, hen. Yoo're back home in the Wizarding World."

She stared at her food, her mind refusing to process this new information. "You mean like magic? But there's no such thing."

Baird glanced her over and knitted her brow. "I see. Muggle-born. Just eat, hen, and get some rest. Oh, I almost forgot." Waving the stick again, a bundle of clothes appeared in one of the chairs. "I took the liberty of cleaning yer belongings."

Siku didn't look up. "Thank you, Madam Baird."

"Of course, hen. I'll return soon." She left the room.

_What's going on? This can't be real. Am I still dreaming?_ Siku dug her hands in her hair. "Mom? Dad? Help me."

Her stomach growled, drawing her attention to the tray. There was a goblet of water, a bowl of stew, and a roll of bread. Taking a sip from the goblet, she relaxed, and moved on to the rest. Once she had her fill, she set the tray on the nightstand and walked over to the chairs.

Undoing the bundle, Siku laid each piece of clothing on the end of the bed. She dug into the pockets of her lavender, fur coat and pulled out a set of sarashi, hair accessories, and a pair of black moccasins.

"Where's the pendant?" She searched through everything a second time but couldn't find it. "Oh no, I can't believe I lost it."

Tossing the frock to the side, she wrapped the sarashi around her chest and lower area before putting on a pair of dark blue leggings. She slipped on the moccasins, and put on a blue, kimono-like tunic. A slit ran up each side, allowing for freer movement, and the sleeves billowed out past her hands.

She secured the white obi around her waist before retrieving her comb and detangling her hair. _If all of this is real, then how did I get here? Mom and dad must be worried sick. This was a mistake. I shouldn't have done this._

She pulled her hair into a bun while leaving two, loose locks in the front, and then placed a crescent shaped ornament in the center. Taking two blue beads, she clipped them at the top of each lock, creating two hair loopies.

"It's too warm for my coat and gloves." Siku placed them on one of the chairs.

The door opened, and Baird poked her head inside. "Oh good, yoo're dressed. Ye have a visitor."

Siku furrowed her brow. "My parents?"

"I can handle things from here, Madam Baird," said a deep, smooth voice from behind the door. "Surely there are other patients in need of your exquisite care?"

"Yes, of course." Baird nodded before disappearing from the doorway.

A man in his mid to late thirties stepped into the room. His long, platinum blond hair rested against his shoulders, and his pale skin contrasted with his elegant, dark robes. It was clear that he was of noble status.

Siku met his gaze, and a shiver ran down her spine from the way his gray eyes pierced into hers. She thought she spotted a flicker of shock in his expression, but the emotion vanished before she could be sure.

The man tilted his head high and gave her a courteous smile. "Good morning, young lady. My name is Lucius Malfoy. I am with the Ministry of Magic, and one of the governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He also had an accent, but it was different from Baird's.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Siku put her hands together and bowed. "I am Siku, first born daughter of Avatar Aang and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe."

He raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me. I do not recognize your parents' titles, for I rarely visit the muggle-world."

"Muggle-world?" She sat in one of the chairs. "Not to be rude, sir, but could you please explain what's going on?"

"Yes. Madam Baird mentioned that you might be of _muggle descent_." His face curled into a tiny sneer when he spoke the last two words.

Lucius strode over to the chair beside her and sat down. He glanced her over, his expression unclear. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pendant. It was silver with an emerald _H_ engraved into it.

"That's mine." Siku frowned. "How did you get that?"

" _This_ was confiscated when you were found in the Ministry Lobby." He dangled the pendant in front of her. "The better question is how _you_ became in possession of it?"

"I got it from my par–" She lowered her head. "I mean my step-parents."

"This Aang and Katara you spoke of?" Receiving a nod, he continued, "Well, either they are your parents, or they are not. Which is it?"

"I… uh…." She twiddled her fingers, her gaze lowering to the floor.

Noticing her hesitance, he chuckled. "It's alright, Siku. I was sent here by the Minister of Magic to clarify your situation. I know it must be uncomfortable for you to share such personal information with a complete stranger, but the only way we can help you is if you are honest with me."

_I guess it's okay._ Siku closed her eyes. "I thought they were my real parents, but I could do things the rest of my family couldn't. Strange things."

"Show me," Lucius said.

"What?" She furrowed her brow.

"You said you were different, and I want to see what you can do." He slightly narrowed his eyes. "Prove yourself."

His request made Siku nervous. She had always been forbidden from practicing her abilities because, unlike her siblings, she had trouble controlling herself. However, from his expression, she knew Lucius was serious, and searching the room, she set her sights on the goblet of water.

_Please work_. She concentrated as hard as she could. " _Water, do as as I say."_

At her command, the water floated out of the goblet.

_"Come to me_ ," she said.

The water streamed over and hovered in front of her in a big bubble.

She kept her focus. " _Make a flower_."

The bubble reformed itself until it was a gelatinous-like rose.

" _Freeze_ ," she said.

Solidifying, the water became clear, almost perfectly carved crystal.

"I've gotten better. When I was a baby, I could only make tiny, ice cubes. That's why my step-mother named me Siku." She smiled. "Ice."

Upon speaking, her concentration broke, and the ice cube dropped on the floor, shattering into tiny pieces. She panicked, expecting Lucius to get upset, but instead he gave her an approving look.

"Interesting," he said, "Tell me, how did you end up at the Ministry?"

"I don't know," she said, "Yesterday, I was waiting in the Town Hall lobby while my parents were at a meeting, and this other kid kept picking on me. I got really upset, and all of sudden, I made this big explosion. Some people were injured, but it was an accident. After my step-parents made sure I was okay, they just kept me in my room."

He frowned. "They mistreated you because of your abilities?"

"They thought it wasn't safe, and they didn't want me to hurt myself or my siblings." She sighed. "Anyway, I snuck out and overheard them arguing about how I wasn't really theirs. My stepfather was holding that––" She pointed to the pendant. "He said it belonged to my real parents."

She paused, noticing Lucius' expression. He seemed to be deep in thought but nodded for her to continue.

"Last night, I took the pendant and ran away." Her eyes watered. "But I was caught in a storm. I remember almost drowning, and then I woke up in this room."

"I see." Lucius stared at the pendant before clasping it in his hand. "This trinket belonged to a magical family. In this world, there are witches and wizards, beings of power. Then there are the Muggles. They live in a world separate from us and possess no magical ability."

_So it's like benders and non-benders? But why do they live separately?_ Siku furrowed her brow. "Am I a witch?"

"Yes. Now, I only have a few more questions. When were you born?" he said.

"On the seventeenth day of Qi Yue in 9940, 6th era of Raava," she said.

"Qui Yue? So, July." He frowned. "But that is not the appropriate year for our calendars. How old are you?"

"Ten, sir," she said.

"Ah, 1980." He nodded. "And your surname?"

She shook her head. "I don't have one. My step-father's a monk, and his culture doesn't believe in that sort of thing."

Lucius stood. "I believe I have all of the information I need. I shall inform the Minister, and if all goes well, I will return for you tomorrow morning."

"But what about my real family?" Siku followed after him. "Do you know what happened to them?"

"I don't believe I am the right person to answer those questions, and I feel that I have already burdened you with enough information." He nodded to her. "Good day, Siku."

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy." Siku bowed again.

Once Lucius was gone, Siku walked over to the bed and sat down. He was right about her feeling overwhelmed. Was she really in a world of magic? It explained so much, and yet at the same time so little.

_I wonder how far I am from home? And why did my real family abandon me? Did they not want me? Or maybe I really am still dreaming?_ She curled herself on the bed and fell asleep.


	2. Sylvia Hexington

A firm knock rapped against the door of Cornelius Fudge's office. He looked up from his paperwork. "Come in."

The door creaked open a tad, and a woman poked her head through. "Minister, Lucius Malfoy is here to see you."

"Oh, right on time." Fudge smiled. "Thank you, Dolores. Send him in."

"Of course, Minister," she said, leaving the room.

A few moments later, Lucius stepped inside and nodded to Fudge. "Good afternoon, Minister."

"Good afternoon, Lucius." Fudge gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat."

He sat down and held out the pendant. "It is as we suspected, Minister."

Fudge furrowed his brow, bewilderment filling his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"There's no mistake. She looks exactly like her mother." Lucius glanced away for a brief second, his expression distant. "However, if you require something more solid, I checked with the Improper Use of Magic Office, and they identified the girl."

He set a folder on the Minister's desk, and Fudge glanced at the cover.

"Sylvia Kai Hexington?" Fudge opened the folder and examined the contents inside.

"Everything connected to the Hexington family recognizes her as the next beneficiary. I also called up Hogwarts, and was informed by the Deputy Headmistress that the girl's name appeared on her list for prospective students." He furrowed his brow. "Curious, given that she couldn't recall the name being there prior."

"I see." Fudge thought for a minute. "And is this the name the girl provided you?"

"No, she introduced herself as _Siku_." Lucius hid his sneer. "It appears that she was adopted by a muggle family and renamed to suit their tastes."

"So she does have a family?" Fudge took a sheet of parchment from the folder and began jotting some notes down with his quill. "We must notify them immediately. Did the girl provide their names?"

"Yes, but I am afraid to report that the girl's situation is quite unfortunate. I presume that she was found by members of an inuit tribe, for her understanding of the world is very–" Lucius clenched his jaw. "Archaic, I should say. She claimed to have run away due to their mistreatment."

"Well, that does raise a concern, but I'm sure the girl's parents are searching for her–" Fudge said.

"And give them a chance to harm her again?" Lucius shook his head. "I believe we should find a more appropriate way to resolve this."

Fudge went silent, mulling everything over in his head. "How serious is it?"

He smiled. "They cannot control her accidental magic. She informed me of her previous mishap, and apparently, she was terrorized by the muggle children to the point of injuring several of them in an explosion. Her adoring family's solution was to lock her away in her room like an animal."

"Then what do you suggest, Lucius?" Fudge said, "For I see no other answer than to send her to an orphanage."

"Allow me to adopt the girl. She is a member of the Hexington family, and she should be properly raised amongst her own, not a muggle family who views magic as a disease." Lucius put on a sympathetic expression. "I have more than enough resources to care for another child, and the girl will be raised in an environment where she'll be allowed to flourish."

"Very well, but first I would like to meet with her." Fudge filed the folder away in his desk. "We'll have a meeting tomorrow morning at nine o' clock sharp."

Lucius nodded. "We'll be there. You have a good day, Minister."

"You as well, Lucius." Fudge gave him a curt wave.

….

Katara huddled Bumi and Kya in a comforting embrace while they cried against her. Aang's search had been in vain, and it was time to except that Siku was really gone. A solemn aura overcame the whole island at the news, and everyone spent the day in mourning.

Closing her eyes, Katara stopped herself from crying for the ten thousandth time. She hadn't had to experience such tragedy within her family since her mother had been killed in a Fire Nation raid. The guilt and pain hit her twice as hard this time around, not only because she lost a child, but it was the fault of her misguided judgement.

"Why did Siku leave, momma?" Bumi wiped his eyes.

"Your mother and father made a big mistake, and now we're paying the price for it. Your sister is from a world far away, and we weren't honest with her. Now she's–" Katara closed her eyes, a tear slipping from her cheek. "Dead."

Kya sniffled. "What kind of world?"

Katara pulled away and gently wiped her daughter's face. "I don't know, but your father used to have a friend who lived there. It's supposed to be filled with all sorts of magic."

Bumi raised an eyebrow. "Is magic different from bending?"

"Yes." She nodded. "That's why your sister's powers were not like ours."

"Maybe Siku's still alive." Kya put her hands behind her back. "The magic could've saved her."

Katara sighed. "I wish that was true too."

….

Siku followed Lucius into the waiting room of St. Mungo's while glancing at the small creature trailing behind them, a house-elf named Dobby. His big, pointed ears drooped down, emphasizing his submissive demeanor. Bruises covered his pale skin, and a dirty potato sack served as his only clothing. He seemed a little scary, but when he noticed her staring, his gaze drew toward the floor in a silent apology for disgusting her.

Siku huddled the hood of her fur coat around her face, prepared for the frosty, February weather outside, but she furrowed her brow when she saw Lucius walk toward the large fireplace instead of the door.

Lucius looked down at her. "Consider this your first lesson in magic, Siku. We have many forms of travel in our world. One of which is through the use of floo powder."

She furrowed her brow. "We're going through the fireplace? Is that safe, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Of course." He reached into a large, metal bowl that rested at the top of the mantel and pulled out a handful of dust. "Now, I want you to tightly hold onto my sleeve, so you don't get lost."

"Okay." She did as he asked.

Siku wasn't sure what to think of Lucius. He had a very reserved demeanor, but he seemed nice enough. She followed him into the fireplace and watched as he raised his closed fist high above his head.

"Ministry of Magic!" He threw the dust at their feet.

Bright, green flames surrounded them, making Siku cringe. It felt like she was floating, and the sensation made her nauseous until she realized she was standing on solid ground again.

"It's alright, Siku. We're here," Lucius said.

Opening her eyes, Siku gasped at the sight before her. They were in a large hallway made of black marble. Crowds of people flooded out of the multiple fireplaces aligned against the walls and headed toward the main lobby of the Ministry. A large fountain with golden statutes rested in the center, and beyond were columns of offices stacked all the way up to the ceiling.

She followed Lucius through the crowds and into one of the elevators. However, instead of going up and down, the elevator swerved in all directions, and she lost her balance more than once before it brought them to the correct floor. They walked down a few hallways until they reached the main office, and Lucius knocked on the door at the end of the room. A stout, woman in her mid-fifties stepped out.

She smiled. "Hello, Lucius. How are you this lovely morning?"

"Just fine, Dolores." Lucius nodded to her. "May you please inform the Minister that we have arrived?"

"Of course." The woman glanced down at Siku. "Ah, you must be the girl who appeared in the fountain. I am Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and Head of the Improper Use of Magic office."

Siku hesitated to speak. Umbridge towered over her, dressed in a bright, pink cardigan, and her cheshire smile looked creepy spread across her wide, toad face.

"I–I'm Siku, ma'am." She bowed. "It's lovely to meet you."

"Splendid. Now you need to be more careful, dear. Our laws exist to maintain order, and actions like that might land you in Azkaban." She let out a high-pitched giggle, her smile never faltering. "Now, right this way."

They followed Umbridge to the Minister's office, and waited for her to inform him.

Umbridge nodded to Lucius. "The Minister will see you now. Good day, Lucius."

"Good day, Dolores." He opened the door to the office.

Entering the room, Siku saw a man in his sixties sitting at the desk. He had curly, gray hair that was thinning and wore very formal robes.

"Good morning, Minister," Lucius said.

"Good morning, Lucius." He walked over to them and gave Siku a wide smile. "And you must be the girl. It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear. I am the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge."

She bowed. "It's nice to meet you, sir. My name is Siku."

"Come. Come. We have much to talk about." He gestured toward the chairs.

Lucius sat on the right while Siku sat on the left.

"Now–" Cornelius sat down. "Lucius explained your situation, and I'm afraid I must begin with the bad news."

She furrowed her brow. "Bad news?"

He held up the pendant. " _This_ is the crest of the Hexington family. You see, about twenty years ago, the Wizarding World went through a major war led by a dark and powerful wizard."

"Who?" she said.

Lucius gave her a stern glance. "We do not speak his name."

Fudge nodded. "We only refer to him as You-Know-Who, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The war against him cost the lives of many magical families, including yours."

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"I'm sorry, but the rest of your family were murdered by You-Know-Who's followers. We believe that you are the remaining descendant," Fudge said.

"But… no… they can't be–" Siku's eyes swelled with tears. "I wanted to meet them." She buried her face in her hands and cried.

"I am very sorry, my dear," Fudge said.

"I guess I'll go back home now." She sniffled. "Do you know how far I am from Republic City?"

He shook his head. "Can't say I've heard of the place."

"It's a small town on the west coast of the Earth Kingdom, but it used to be a Fire Nation colony called Yu Dao," she said.

Fudge furrowed his brow. "What in the world are you going on about?"

_I don't understand. Why doesn't anyone know about the Four Nations?_ Siku twiddled her thumbs.

Lucius cleared his throat. "As I told you before, Minister, she was raised in a very _archaic_ setting."

"Yes, of course." Fudge nodded before smiling at Siku. "But there is good news, my dear. As the last remaining descendant, you are entitled to your family's estate."

She took the folder. "Sylvia Kai Hexington. Is that the name my real parents gave me?"

Receiving a nod, Siku examined the contents of the folder. There were housing documents and a key inside.

"Next, to address your desire to return to your adoptive family–" Fudge sighed. "I'm afraid I cannot allow that."

"Why not?" Siku said.

"For your protection." Fudge's expression became grave. "From what Lucius explained, your adoptive family has been abusive?"

She shook her head. "No."

He raised an eyebrow. "So they don't lock you in your room?"

"Well, yes, but they didn't mean anything by it," she said, "They wanted to keep me safe."

Fudge gave her a serious look. "But you still ran away?"

She lowered her head. "Yes."

"And it appears that they cannot handle your accidental magic. Your last incident injured several people," he said.

"I didn't mean to." Closing her eyes, she put her hands on her head. "I just can't control it. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Some of the items on Fudge's desk began to shake in response to Siku's emotional outburst. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she snapped out of it, and opened her eyes.

"Calm down," Lucius said.

"So… sorry." She lowered her head again.

"It's alright, my dear. It's alright. Your adoptive family has clearly been an ill fit, and I fear that it will only grow worse now that you are nearing your eleventh birthday. Which is why I'm going to grant Lucius' request to take full custody of you."

"What? But what if my step-parents come looking for me?" she said.

"Then they will have the situation explained to them, and all of the required legal matters shall be dealt with." Fudge pulled out a second folder. "Speaking of which, Lucius, I have a few things for you to sign. This contract will give you and your wife legal guardianship and allow you to oversee the Hexington estate until young Siku turns seventeen."

Lucius signed his name in the required spaces while Siku sat in silence. Was this really happening? Her real family was dead, and now she might not ever see her step-family again. She prayed to every spirit she could think of that her step-parents would find her soon and straighten this out.

"Perfect." Fudge took the folder and filed it away in his desk. "And that's that. You are both free to go, and good luck to you, my dear. You're going to have an exciting year ahead of you."

Lucius chuckled. "Yes, preparing for one's first year at Hogwarts is always the joyous occasion. Good day to you, Minister. Come along, Siku."

"Have a wonderful day, Minister Fudge." Siku bowed before following Lucius out of the office.

She looked at the folder Fudge gave her and opened it. The housing documents had a residence titled, _Hexington Gardens_ , which was located in the town of Wickham, Berkshire.

"Is it okay if we visit my family's home?" Siku said, "I just want to see it."

"I suppose it's alright if we take a small detour." Lucius took the folder from her and handed it to the house-elf. "Dobby, return home and give this to Narcissa. Tell her we will be arriving within two hours."

"Yes, Master. Dobby will go right away." He vanished with a small _pop_.

Lucius looked at Siku. "I'm sure Narcissa will be happy to have a little girl to dote upon. Although, my son, Draco, may take a while to warm up to you. He's used to being the only child."

"How old is he?" Siku said, "Back home, I have three younger siblings, so I'm good at babysitting."

"He's your age." Lucius chuckled. "And given that you're still new to this world, he'll be looking after you."

Siku frowned. She was used to being the responsible, in-charge child, and the idea of being coddled didn't sound very appealing. They returned to the main lobby, which was almost empty now that the employees were hard at work.

"Your next lesson, Siku. A second way for Magical citizens to travel is apparation: the ability to teleport yourself and others to your location of choice," Lucius said.

"Can I try this time?" She smiled.

He shook his head. "No, you're much too young. Apparation can be very dangerous, even fatal, if you attempt it without being properly trained. Now take my hand, and don't let go."

Siku did as he asked, and within seconds it felt like she was being sucked into a tight space. Her head spun, the whole world swirled around her, and then it was over. Lucius and Siku were standing under the shadow of a weeping willow, and ahead was a long road that cut in between a quiet town.

Lucius glanced around. "Another important thing for you to know is that it's against the law for our kind to perform magic in front of Muggles."

"But I…." She furrowed her brow.

"Your accidental magic doesn't count. However, from this point on, you will learn to be more careful. The Muggles must never know about our world." He headed down the road.

She followed him. "But why do Magical people and Muggles live separately from each other?"

He sighed. "We do it for our own preservation. Muggles are not accepting of anything different, let alone more powerful than they are. They'd try to destroy us as they have in the past."

_I guess it's just different around here. Benders and non-benders have no problem getting along._ Siku saw Lucius stop and stood next to him.

In front of them was a shroud of bushes that stood tall and wide, serving as a fence. A metal gate rested in between the bushes. It was rusted in some places and gave a loud creak when Lucius pushed it open.

To the Muggle eye, the area was nothing more than unruly patches of foliage, but to them it was a sizable and tidy courtyard. A path of cobblestones guided the way to the entrance of a large, one level house. The outside was constructed with gray bricks that had faded with time, giving the house a dull appearance.

"Can we go inside?" Siku said.

"Actually, now that we're here, there is something I believe you should see," he said.

Lucius led Siku to the backyard. There was a fair amount of open field, but beyond that was a graveyard. Furrowing her brow, she walked over to the closest tombstones. The first she noticed was marked: _Kai Preston Hexington (January 3, 1955- July 17, 1980)_. Beside that grave, the next read: _Adela Geneviéve Hexington nee LeClair (March 15 1956- July 17, 1980)_.

"These are my parents." She felt herself choke up. _They died the day I was born?_

Her attention drew toward a tiny grave that rested beside her parents' and gasped. The tombstone had her name on it.

Siku looked at Lucius. "Why do I have a grave?"

"You were presumed dead along with your parents," he said.

Siku put a hand to her mouth and stared at the other graves. Generations of memories, love, drama, and happiness lay before her, and she was all that remained of that legacy. Getting on her hands and knees, she bowed to her parents' grave.

"I never met you, and I don't know what happened that day." Tears streamed down her face. "But they failed. I'm still here." Narrowing her eyes, she stood up and kicked her tombstone down.

Lucius walked over to her. "Are you alright, Siku?"

"Please, call me Sylvia," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

She turned around. "I wish to be called Sylvia, Mr. Malfoy. My parents lived long enough to give me a name. I should honor it."

"Very well." Lucius nodded. "Come along, Sylvia. I believe you've seen enough of this place for today."

She glanced back at the cemetery before taking Lucius' hand, and they apparated out of the area.


	3. The Malfoys

"Mother, who is this girl again?" Draco trailed behind Narcissa while they headed down the hallway.

"Her name is Sylvia, dearie. She is the daughter of the Hexington family," she said.

He recognized the surname as one of the Pure-blood families he had been taught to know by heart, but that's all he could recall.

"This girl is going to live with us? Why, Mother? Can't she stay with her own family?" he said.

Sighing, Narcissa turned around. "The Hexington family died back in the war, and your father and I have decided to take her in. Now, this is going to be a change for all of us, but I want you to be on your best behavior."

"Yes, Mother." He nodded.

"Good." She smiled. "I want you to look after Sylvia, for I'm sure the poor thing is nervous given what I've heard of her upbringing. A Pure-blood raised by Muggles, it should be illegal."

They continued down the hallway. At the end, on the right side, was Draco's room, but Narcissa walked over to the door on the left and knocked against it.

"Dobby! Are you finished yet!" she said.

The door opened, and Dobby quickly bowed to them. Draco sneered at the house-elf with disgust.

"Yes, Mistress. Dobby has completed your request," he said.

"Let me see." With the pointed front of her heel, Narcissa shoved Dobby to the side and entered the room.

Draco glanced the room over. There was nothing special about the decor, but everything had been cleaned and organized. Not one fleck of dust or misplaced item could be spotted.

"Well done, Dobby." Narcissa smiled. "Now off to the kitchen with you."

"Yes, Mistress. Dobby will go right away." He bowed again before scurrying down the hallway.

Draco folded his arms. "I'm not going to have to share my stuff with her, am I?"

"Oh, Draco. Sylvia's a young lady. Once she's here, we'll buy her her own things." She motioned him back down the hall. "Now let's hurry. They should be arriving at any moment."

….

Sylvia stared out at the vast estate before her. Malfoy Manor stood grand and tall amongst the rich countryside of Wiltshire. She followed Lucius through the wrought-iron gates that sealed off the property, her hungry gaze taking in everything around them. The courtyard had been trimmed and pruned to perfection, and strange, colorful birds that reminded Sylvia of peacock-pigeons scattered the area.

"Your home is very lovely, Mr. Malfoy," she said.

"Thank you, Sylvia." He smiled with pride. "The Malfoy family is one of the richest in the Wizarding World. We only accept the best."

"I lived with my step-family on an island outside of town. My step-parents preferred to live within simple means, but sometimes I'd get to stay at a palace when they'd visit a royal family," Sylvia said.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Your adoptive father was a monk, correct?"

"Yes." She nodded. "He's highly regarded for his work."

"How interesting," he said.

Reaching the front entrance, the door opened, and Dobby was on the other side.

"Welcome home, Master." He bowed. "The Mistress and young master are waiting in the sitting room."

"Thank you, Dobby." Lucius stepped inside.

Sylvia followed Lucius through the manor while examining her surroundings. The rooms were filled with antiques that were surely several centuries old, and everything was polished and well organized. Reaching the sitting room, Sylvia saw a woman and a young boy standing by the fireplace. They both wore elegant attire and had platinum, blond hair. In fact, the boy looked like an exact replica of Lucius.

"Lucius, there you are. I hope everything went smoothly." The woman approached them with a smile, but when she noticed Sylvia, she gasped. "My word, you look so much like your mother. I am Narcissa, but you may call me Mrs. Malfoy."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy. My name is Sylvia Hexington." She bowed. "Thank you for letting me stay in your home."

"You're very welcome, dear. And this–" Narcissa motioned the boy forward. "Is our son, Draco."

Draco's skeptic gaze glanced her over, his mouth curled into a frown. Receiving a nudge from his mother, he muttered, "It's nice to meet you, Sylvia."

"You too. Your name sounds cool by the way," Sylvia said, "Does it mean anything?"

"Dragon." He gave her a tiny smile.

"Well, it seems you two will get along just fine." Lucius looked at his wife. "Narcissa, I still have some business to attend to at the Ministry. I shall join you all later."

She kissed him on the cheek. "Of course, you have a good day, dear."

Lucius exited the room. Sylvia saw Draco sit on the right side of the couch and went to sit on the left while Narcissa sat on one of the chairs across from them.

"First things first, Sylvia. In this household, we expect proper behavior and etiquette worthy of our pedigrees." Narcissa tilted her head high. "There shall be no running, loud noises, rough-housing, or experimenting with magic unsupervised. You are allowed to play in the courtyard and gardens, but you must stay within the gates. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Sylvia nodded.

"Perfect. Now let me tend to a few things, and then we'll be on our way." Narcissa left the room.

Draco looked at Sylvia. "So you were raised by Muggles? How did you last as long as you did? I would've run away the moment I learned how to walk."

"Oh, I–" She furrowed her brow. "I didn't know I was adopted until a few days ago. I didn't even know I was a witch, or about magic, or this world either."

"Surely you must've noticed you were different?" he said.

"I did, but they lied to me." She lowered her head. "I left to find my real family, but they're dead. I'm not sure how to feel."

"Well, I'm sorry for your loss." Draco's tone hinted concern, but it sounded forced. "And good riddance to those Muggles. You're much better off with your own kind."

"Alright, dearies, we have loads of shopping to finish, so let's not waste anymore time than we have," Narcissa said, entering the room.

"Where are we going, Mrs. Malfoy?" Sylvia said.

"Diagon Alley, to have you fitted for some new clothes. Can't have you running around like you belong in the North Pole." She chuckled.

Sylvia stood. "My step-mother and most of her side of the family are actually from the South Pole."

Narcissa stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. "My, Lucius wasn't joking when he said your upbringing was primeval."

She guided Sylvia and Draco toward the fireplace and took out a wooden stick. This one was in much better shape than the one Madam Baird had.

Sylvia pointed at it. "What are those sticks for, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"They're wands." Draco rolled his eyes with a scoff. "We use them to perform magic."

"Draco–" Narcissa said in a warning tone before returning her attention to Sylvia. "He is correct, and it won't be long until you both attain your own wands. Goodness, where has the time gone?"

Flicking her wand at the fireplace, Narcissa extinguished the flames. Sylvia stepped inside, her brow furrowed. From what she had seen so far, magic was very different from bending, and it became clearer why her step-family didn't know what to do with her.

Narcissa took a handful of floo powder and threw it at their feet. "The Leaky Cauldron!"

Once again, Sylvia shut her eyes until the nauseating sensation stopped, and she could feel the ground beneath her feet. She heard Draco snicker and stuck her tongue out at him.

The three of them stepped out into a small pub. Since it was the late morning, the place was packed with people. Narcissa led Sylvia and Draco through the crowd and out of a side door into a cramped alleyway. She approached a brick wall and with her wand tapped a set of bricks in a specific order.

There was a slight rumble, and then the bricks peeled apart, revealing a shopping village. The surrounding buildings were quirky and old-fashioned, and the area was bustling with witches and wizards going about their day.

"Whoa," Sylvia said, her eyes wide.

Draco tugged on Narcissa's sleeve. "Mother, may we visit the Quidditch shop? I want to see the racing brooms."

"Of course, in a moment, Draco. We're here for Sylvia, don't forget." She smiled. "And now for our first stop: Twilfitt and Tatting's."

Narcissa led Sylvia and Draco to the south end of the alley and into a light blue building. The front of the shop was a small waiting room. Everything was painted blue and speckled with silver, and the furnishings were quite lavish.

A thin, elderly woman walked out from the back room. "Hello, and welcome to Twilfitt–" She smiled. "Narcissa, and little Draco, too. It's so good to see you. How are you on this splendid day?"

"Just wonderful, Agnis." Narcissa ushered Sylvia in front of her. "I'm here to have Sylvia fitted from some new clothes."

Agnis glanced Sylvia over before gasping. "By Merlin's name, she isn't Renée granddaughter, is she?"

Narcissa nodded. "Lucius and I decided to take her in."

"Yes, of course. I recall reading about it in the Daily Prophet." Agnis smiled at Sylvia. "It's lovely to meet you, dear. I used to work with your grandmother. She was one of, if not _the_ most famous fashion designer in all of Magical France."

"Really?" Sylvia's eyes slightly widened. "Do you know where she is, ma'am?"

"I'm sorry, dear. Renée passed away a few years ago." Agnis sighed. "The poor thing. She was never the same after what happened to your mother."

"Oh, okay." Sylvia lowered her head.

"Don't be sad, dear. We've all suffered our losses from that tedious war." Agnis looked at Narcissa. "Now, Narcissa, what did you have in mind?"

The next thing Sylvia knew, she was standing on a pedestal in front of a full length mirror while Agnis measured her. Narcissa was selecting fabrics, and Draco was sulking in the corner, his arms folded and his face kneaded into a scowl.

"My, my, you're definitely going to take after your mother and grandmother. The young lads will be absolutely mad for you," Agnis said.

Sylvia stuck out her tongue. "Boys are icky."

She saw Draco sneer at her through the reflection. "You're one to talk. Your mother and grandmother must've looked like goblins."

"Behavior, children." Narcissa narrowed her eyes at them.

"No need to worry, Narcissa. They're always like that at this age." Agnis chuckled. "But you should consider yourself fortunate, Sylvia. You'll be able to make a good marriage, and if it interests you, you may have a future in the fashion industry."

"Uh, thank you, ma'am," Sylvia said.

She examined her reflection. Icy blue eyes stared back at her, which stuck out in contrast to her light brown skin. Her dark, curly hair, when down, reached her lower back, and her body was average for a child, who spent their time playing outside all day. She had never thought much of her appearance, and the idea of being some great beauty only made her bashful.

Narcissa walked over with two fabrics in her arms. One was a thick, black velvet, and the other was fine and white with lace on the ends.

"This'll be for the first one." She gestured toward the other fabrics she had lined up. "I'll need five. One for formal occasions, one nightgown, and three for casual. Oh, and make them adjustable since she might grow over the next year."

"Yes, this'll make a lovely dress," Agnis said.

Sylvia was forced to stand still while Agnis designed each outfit. Every now and then she was directed where to place her arms or to face a different direction. After what felt like an eternity, everything was finished, and Sylvia and Draco exited the shop while Narcissa bid a farewell to Agnis. Narcissa headed down the steps, a large shopping bag in her hand.

"Mother," Draco said with a pout.

"Alright, alright." Narcissa sighed. "We'll visit the Quidditch shop."

Sylvia rolled her eyes, for Draco's behavior reminded her of Kya and Bumi. They were always fighting for the most attention, especially after Tenzin was born. She'd be lying if she said she didn't get jealous as well, but she compensated by bossing her siblings around.

Heading back up the alley, the three of them arrived at _Quality Quidditch Supplies_. Draco grinned as wide as his face would allow and rushed over to the shop. Through the windows, Sylvia saw an assortment of elaborate broomsticks.

She raised an eyebrow. "You're excited about cleaning stuff?"

"No, dear." Narcissa laughed. "These brooms are not for cleaning. We use them to fly."

"Is that safe?" Sylvia said.

"Well, all magic comes with its risks, but yes it's safe." Narcissa nodded. "And both of you remember to keep your hands to yourselves."

"Yes, Mother," Draco said.

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Sylvia followed him inside.

There were broomsticks of various brands and purposes. Along the walls were gloves, helmets, and other accessories. None of it impressed Sylvia, for she had trouble picturing herself flying on something she normally used to clean underneath her bed. Draco entered the racing broom section and gravitated to the shiniest one in the room.

"The Nimbus Two-Thousand." He smiled, his face mesmerized. "It's supposed to be the fastest broom yet."

"So what is Quidditch?" Sylvia said.

"You really are out of touch, aren't you? Quidditch is the best sport there is." Draco smirked. "I plan on joining the team once we're at school."

Sylvia examined the broomstick. "You must be really good."

He tilted his head up with pride. "My father says I'm a natural."

Narcissa walked over to them. "Alright, dears. Why don't we have ourselves some lunch?"

"Mother, I want a Nimbus Two-Thousand," Draco said.

"Draco, you already have enough brooms at home." Narcissa led them out of the shop. "Now come on. Let's not dawdle."

The final stop was a fancy cafe. The food was very different than what Sylvia was used to, and she settled for some small sandwiches and water.

"Mrs. Malfoy–" Sylvia furrowed her brow. "Did you know my mother?"

"Yes." Narcissa sighed. "Adela and I met at Hogwarts when I began my second year. We were quite close for a time, but things changed. Once we were adults, our friendship drifted apart."

"Do you know what happened to my parents during the war?" she said.

"I'm sorry, Sylvia." Narcissa shook her head. "I didn't learn of your parents' deaths until after the Dark Lord was defeated."

She raised an eyebrow. "The Dark Lord?"

"You-Know-Who, you nit." Draco glared at her. "Honestly, do you know anything about our world at all?"

"No." Sylvia shrunk back in her chair.

"That's enough, Draco." Narcissa gave him a stern look. "It's not her fault that she fell into the hands of Muggles, but not to worry, Sylvia." She smiled. "You'll learn everything you'll need to know before school, and I'll see to it myself that you don't suffer your parents' fate."

Sylvia wasn't sure what to think of that statement, and after a long pause, gave a meek, "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy."

….

That night, Sylvia prepared herself for bed and walked over to the dresser in her new room. She put on the white nightgown, and removed her ornaments, leaving her hair down. She glanced down at the canopy bed at the other side of the room, but she wasn't in the mood for sleep. Too much had happened in such a short time, and it was hard to process.

The fireplace roared brightly, warming the room. She walked over to the windowsill and sat down. Snowflakes were falling outside, making her feel homesick. Her gaze drew up toward the clouds where she could see a faint silhouette of the half-full moon.

"Things could be worse." Sylvia bowed. "Oh great moon spirit, thank you for watching over and protecting me. Please look after my step-family while I'm gone. I know they're probably upset with me, but please let them know I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt them."

Sighing, she walked toward the bed and sat on the edge. She wasn't sure what to think of the Malfoys. It was pure luck that, in this strange world of magic, she had found some people willing to be so kind to her.

"I'll do my best not to burden them," Sylvia said.

It seemed like an easy task, given that the Malfoys were so well off, but they were also nobility. Sure her step-father was the Avatar, and her whole family was responsible for ending the Hundred-Year War, but at home, everything was carefree and simple.

Out of the three, Narcissa was the nicest, and while Lucius was kind, he also came off as very strict. Then there was Draco. It was clear to Sylvia that he wasn't happy about her moving in and stealing his attention, and who knew how long it'd be until he accepted her.

A crash of metal echoed outside in the hallway, followed by nervous muttering. Sylvia slid off the bed and opened her door. Dobby was hastily picking up silverware from the tray he dropped.

"Here. Let me help you." She picked up the knives that had fallen next to her door.

Dobby stared at her with wide eyes while she placed the knives on the tray.

"Uh, th–thank you, Miss." He bowed his head. "Dobby is sorry for disturbing you."

He took out a rusted spike and looked like he was about to stab his hand with it. However, Sylvia snatched it from him before he could.

"What are you doing, Miss? Dobby must punish himself for his clumsiness." He trembled. "Unless Miss wants to punish Dobby herself?"

"No, I'm not going to hurt you." She furrowed her brow. "And you shouldn't hurt yourself. It was just an accident. Now let's get this cleaned up."

Sylvia retrieved the remaining silverware while Dobby watched her in silence. Once she had everything placed on the tray, she handed it to him.

"See. No big deal." She smiled.

"Thank you for your kindness, Miss." He bowed again. "But Dobby shouldn't be surprised. Miss is a member of the Water Tribes."

"What?" She gasped. "You know about the Water Tribes?"

Before Dobby could answer, Draco opened his door and narrowed his groggy eyes at the two of them.

"What's all the commotion? I'm trying to sleep," he said.

Dobby jumped, almost dropping the tray again. "Forgive Dobby, Young Master. Dobby was clumsy, and Miss was helping."

Draco glared at him. "Well, be more careful, or else my parents will hear about this."

"Dobby understands." He shook his head, his voice quivering. "Dobby will not disturb Young Master and Miss again."

He scurried down the hall, making sure not to drop anything while they were watching.

"Sorry about him. House-elves are useful, but they can also be real pains in the arse," Draco said.

Sylvia folded her arms. "You didn't have to scare him like that. It was only an accident."

"You have to be firm with _their_ kind." He scoffed. "Otherwise, they'd never get anything done."

"That doesn't give you an excuse to be mean. Including to me. I know you don't want me here, but your parents took me in." She frowned. "Deal with it."

Draco eyed her for a moment, and then gave a small laugh. "So you do have some venom in you. I suppose having you around won't be _that_ bad." He yawned. "Anyway, I'm returning to bed."

"Goodnight, Draco," she said.

He paused in the doorway. "Goodnight, Sylvia."

He shut the door without another word, and Sylvia returned to her room.


	4. Aang's Tale

_How could I have been so stupid?_ Katara's eyes watered, and she hugged Siku's stuffed penguotter closer. "I'm so sorry, Siku. Please, forgive me."

She sat down on the shore and watched the waves roll in and out. Night had fallen, but she felt restless. All she could think about was Siku trapped in the storm, crying out for help. Katara reached her hand out toward the water, attempting to rescue the illusion plaguing her mind, but it faded away.

"Katara?"

She snapped out her thoughts and turned around to see Aang.

"How are you feeling?" He sat beside her.

"I keep trying to think of something I could've done, something I could've said–" She closed her eyes. "Or maybe this is all a nightmare?"

Aang placed an arm around her and let Katara lean against him. "Yeah, me too. A part of me believes Siku's still out there, given the irony of all this."

_That's right. Aang ran away during a storm too_. Katara sighed. "Siku's not the Avatar. As much as I'd like to hope, I doubt she got that lucky."

"What's the meaning of this?" a high-pitched, female voice cried out from behind them.

Turning around, Katara and Aang saw a small, cloaked woman. She removed her hood, revealing, as Katara recalled, an elf.

"Ellie?" Aang said.

The elf's big eyes glared at them, her long, pointed ears raised in alarm. "Miscreants! What have you done with Ellie's young mistress!"

Katara lowered her head. "We're sorry, Ellie."

"Sorry?" Ellie's face flushed red. "Ellie asked you to watch over the young mistress until Ellie returned on her eleventh birthday. Why did you give her to Lucius Malfoy!"

"What?" Katara shared a glance with Aang, her eyes widening. "We didn't give Siku to anyone. Last night, she went out into a storm. She's dead."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Do not lie. Ellie saw the young mistress with Lucius at Hexington Gardens."

Aang gasped. "Then Siku's alive?"

Katara's heart skipped a beat at the news, relief washing over her. "But we didn't tell Siku about the Magical World. How did she end up there?"

" _That was my doing._ "

Katara, Aang, and Ellie looked up toward the half-full moon. The spirit of a young woman appeared within the light and floated down from the sky.

"Moon Spirit Yue." Aang bowed.

" _It's good to see you again, Aang. Katara._ " She smiled. " _I rescued Siku before she drowned._ "

"Why didn't you return her to us?" Katara said.

" _Because you broke the agreement._ " Yue's tone became serious. " _Siku was meant to return to her true home on her eleventh birthday, and yet you were keeping the truth from her._ "

"We didn't mean any harm. I just–" Katara wiped her eyes. "It's too soon. Eleven is still a child. We're all she has, and to send her away from everyone and everything she knows? I couldn't."

Yue sighed. " _As benign as your intentions may have been, you did not have Siku's best interests at heart. When I found her, her deepest wish was to learn of her origins, so I granted it_."

"May we visit her?" Aang said.

" _No."_ Yue shook her head. " _The worlds are meant to be separate. Venturing there would disrupt that balance, and Siku must learn the ways of her kind without you._ "

"So that's it?" We can never see our daughter again?" Katara furrowed her brow. "No, I won't accept that."

Aang put a hand on her shoulder. "Katara–"

"No, Aang." She shrugged him off. "I've tortured myself, thinking that I led _our_ baby to her death. Now that we know she's alive, Yue wants us to move on like Siku was never here? Without even saying goodbye?"

"I understand, Katara, but…." Aang thought for a moment before turning his attention to Yue. "I want to maintain the balance as much as you do, but I request passage to the Magical World to see if Siku's alright and say goodbye. Can you at least afford us that?"

Yue went silent, considering his request. " _Very well, Aang. However, you must travel spiritually not physically._ "

Katara frowned. It wasn't what she wanted, but if it meant seeing their daughter one last time, she would take what she could get.

"We're in agreement," she said.

" _Meditate yourselves into the spiritual realm, and I will guide you from there._ " Yue laughed. " _Oh, and before I forget. Siku apologies for running away and causing you both so much trouble. She hopes that you are not too upset with her_."

Katara gave a small smile. "No, we're happy she's alive. Thank you, Yue."

_"You're welcome."_ Yue floated higher into the sky until she faded back into the moon.

"What a mess." Ellie shook her head.

"Ellie, I know things didn't work out as planned, and I'm sorry." Katara handed her the stuffed penguotter. "Could you please give this to Siku? It's her favorite toy. She should have it with her."

"Ellie will contact the young mistress when able." Ellie nodded. "However, before you depart, Ellie must warn you. Muggle humans can't see you in an intangible state, but Magical ones can. The young mistress is now staying with the Malfoy Family at their manor. Do not alert any of them to your presence."

"Muggle?" Katara cocked her head to the side.

"We understand." Aang smiled. "Thank you, Ellie."

"Ellie will watch over the young mistress in your absence. If anything happens, Ellie will seek your aid." With a _pop_ , the tiny elf vanished from the shore.

Katara met Aang's gaze, and could tell that he was overwhelmed by the same emotions she was.

Aang nodded in the direction of his meditation temple. "Come on."

"Oh, Aang. I hope she's okay." Katara shivered and huddled her arms around herself. "I don't know if I'm ready to say goodbye."

"We should be grateful we're able to say anything to her given how things turned out." He kissed her. "I know this is going to hard on the family, especially you, but this is the way things have to be. We'll pull through this."

"I know," Katara said. "Hey, wait a minute. Don't you know someone from the Magical World? Maybe they could help us."

"Yes, but that was over a hundred years ago." Aang looked up at the sky. "I was only six when we met…."

….

_"Nyah, nyah, there's no way you can beat me this time, Aang," Bao said._

_Aang stood his ground on his side of the airball arena. Bao was three years his senior, and yet Aang was able to win every match against him. It had created a rivalry between the two, but Aang didn't care. He was just having fun._

_Swaying his hands, Bao created a swirling ball of air and shot it toward Aang's goal post. It ricocheted through the trench of pillars before coming at Aang from the left. Timing his movements carefully, Aang whirled the ball around himself and shot it back with a powerful gust of wind. The ball flowed around the pillars before striking Bao in the stomach, knocking him through his goal post._

_The other boys cheered Aang on while he did a victory dance._

_"Looks like it's Aang: Six and Bao: One." He laughed._

_Bao groaned. "I don't get it. "You're practically a toddler. How can you be this good?"_

_Aang gave him a cheesy smile and shrugged._

_"Whatever. This time we'll go nine out of thirteen," Bao said._

_"Guys! Guys!" A five-year-old nomad named, Tsu, rushed over to the group. "Hurry! Follow me!"_

_Bao jumped down. "What's going on?"_

_Tsu stopped running and caught his breath. "The Elders requested that we meet them in the courtyard. They have something important to announce."_

_Everyone shared a glance before following Tsu to the courtyard. Anticipation ran through Aang. What news did the Elder Monks have for them? Had something terrible happened, or maybe they were going on a trip? Curiosity getting the better of him, Aang rushed to the front of the group and tried to spot a hint to answer his endless questions._

_Standing amongst the Elders was a small boy, around Aang's age. The boy's clothes were different and gave no indication of what nation he belonged to. His eyes were watery, and he watched the approaching children with caution._

_Was this boy the news? Aang loved making new friends, and so far had at least one in every nation of the world. He waved at the boy, who glanced away._

_Monk Tashi stepped forward. "Now that you all have arrived, we have an announcement to make. Monk Gyatso found this poor child lost in the forest."_

_Aang, unable to control his eagerness, sped up to the boy, and said with a bright smile, "Hi, I'm Aang."_

_The boy stared at him and took a step back, but Gyatso put a hand on his shoulder._

_He chuckled. "It's alright, child. Aang is my pupil. He's not going to hurt you."_

_The boy nodded and said in a thick accent, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aang. My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, but you may call me Albus for short."_

_"That's a mouthful," Bao said._

_"Okay, Albus, you want to play airball with us?" Aang said._

_"Just a moment, Aang." Monk Pasang gave him a stern look. "It appears that Albus is from a land very far away, and does not posses the same… bending abilities that we do. Until the other Elders and I find a way to return him home, he will stay here as our guest. And for his own safety, he is not allowed to leave the temple. Is that understood?"_

_Everyone bowed their heads. "Yes, Monk Pasang."_

_"Good." He turned his attention to the other Elders. "Come. We have important matters to discuss."_

_The Elders headed inside of the temple, leaving the children alone._

_Albus placed his hands behind his back and shifted his feet. "So this airball you mentioned? Is it some kind of sport?"_

_"Yeah, it's really fun," Aang said._

_A three-year-old nomad jumped up and down. "Aang's our undefeated champion. No one can beat him."_

_Bao huffed and walked over to them with his arms folded. "We'll see about that, and besides, this new kid doesn't look like an airbender. He can't play with us anyway."_

_"Don't listen to him, Albus. Bao's just a sore loser." Aang grinned and winked at Bao, who stuck out his tongue. "So what nation are you from?"_

_Albus was about to answer, but stopped himself and muttered, "As your Elders said, I'm from far away."_

_"How far?" Bao snorted. "And what's with the weird accent and clothes? You look like a pirate."_

_"Pirates? Honestly. My family is not associated with such rubbish." Rolling his eyes, he looked at Aang. "If it's not a bother, I'd prefer to be alone right now."_

_Aang watched Albus walk toward the temple and frowned. He didn't know why this new kid was acting so strange. It felt like he was hiding something._

_"Hey, wait!" Tsu rushed after him but was stopped by Bao._

_"Let him be." Using his airbending, Bao flung the looser part of Aang's tunic over his head. "Come on, prodigy. We have a match to finish."_

_Aang shifted his gaze between the other boys and Albus' retreating form before shaking his head. "No, go on without me. I want to make sure Albus is okay."_

_"Suit yourself." Bao gestured to the other boys. "Let's go, guys."_

_Aang walked over to Albus, who had stopped by the stairway, his attention focused on the vast landscape below them. The young airbender cleared his throat, making Albus turn around._

_"Yes?" he said._

_"Sorry, but are you okay?" Aang furrowed his brow. "You look sad."_

_Albus lowered his head. "More afraid than sad."_

_"Did something bad happen before Gyatso found you?" Aang said._

_"I'm honestly not sure. I was playing in the forest behind my house, and when I crawled underneath some bramble, I was here. I want to go home. I'm sure my mother's caught quite a fright from my absence." Albus sighed. "And my father already lectured me this morning not to wander so far. Oh well, I suppose Aberforth will have another chance to tease me."_

_"Aberforth?" Aang said._

_"My younger brother. A real nit, and quite the little sneak to mummy." Albus shrugged. "But I still love him. Sometimes."_

_"Well, I'm sure the Elders will get you home in no time. Air Nomads travel all over the world." Aang thought for a minute and smiled. "Hey, I know what'll cheer you up. Meeting my best friend, Appa."_

_"Who?" Albus said._

_Aang pulled out a bison-shaped whistle and blew it. No sound came out, but not too long after a baby sky bison soared toward them._

_"Come here, boy!" Aang held his arms out wide._

_Appa landed on top of him and licked his face._

_"What on earth is that?" Albus stepped back._

_"This is Appa, my flying bison." Aang laughed. "Appa, this is our new friend, Albus. What are you waiting for, boy? Go say hello."_

_Appa gave a faint yip and leapt for Albus. He screamed, shielding his face, and suddenly teleported behind Aang. Appa landed on the ground and gave a confused whimper._

_Aang did a double-take. "How did you…? But you were right over there a second ago."_

_Albus uncovered his face and looked around. "I was?"_

_He nodded. "You teleported. How did you do that?"_

_Albus glanced around to see if anyone else was there. "Do you promise not to tell?"_

_Aang raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"_

_"Please promise." Albus pouted, his brow furrowed. "Your Elders told me to keep it a secret, but you might as well know."_

_"Okay, I promise." He nodded._

_Albus kept his voice to a whisper. "I'm a wizard."_

_"You mean like a magician?" Aang perked up with excitement. "I saw a performance once. He was able to pull a grown Kanga-rabbit out his hat."_

_Albus folded his arms and huffed. "My people do not perform for Muggles. The ones you see are frauds."_

_Aang blinked. "Muggles?"_

_"Non-magical people." Albus glanced back at the temple. "Although, your people are different. I've never seen anyone who can control elements before, or, at least, not in the way I saw your Elders do it."_

_"We call ourselves benders, and our element depends on our nation." Aang gestured in various directions. "There's the Water Tribes that live in the North and South poles, the Earth Kingdom to the east, the Fire Nation to the west, and lastly the Air Nomads. Right now, you're at the Southern Temple while the rest of our brothers live up north, and our sisters live in the east and west."_

_"Astonishing." Albus' eyes were wide with intrigue. "Perhaps you could show me around? At least until I return home?"_

_"Sure, if the Elders permit it." Aang smiled. "But you'll come back to visit, right?"_

_"Maybe. Though I doubt you and your lot have heard of England," Albus said._

_Aang thought for a moment before shaking his head._

_"I figured so. My family lives in a wizarding village called Mould-on-the-Wold. However, my sister was born merely a month ago, and it's made our house quite frantic." Albus stretched his arms. "I usually venture into the forest for some peace and quiet. Though a little trouble is fun too."_

_"Well, I'd love to see it someday." Aang floated onto the ledge of the stairs and sat down with his legs crossed. "So, what kind of magic can you do?"_

_"Where I'm from, we don't receive proper training until we're eleven. Normally, I perform magic by accident, but I'm doing my best to control it. For example…." Albus looked at a nearby tree._

_Aang watched him focus on the fruit that dangled from the branches. Pointing at the ripest one, Albus closed his eyes, and within a matter of seconds, the fruit appeared in his hand._

_"Wow. That really is different. You didn't have to use any moves or anything!" Aang said._

_"That's magic." Smiling, Albus was about to take a bite out of the fruit, but Appa rushed over to him and nudged his side._

_Aang chuckled. "I think Appa's hungry."_

_Albus tried to resist the Appa's begging yips, but reluctantly surrendered to his cuteness."Very well, you can have it."_

_Appa ate the fruit in one bite before yipping with glee, and he thanked Albus by leaping on top of him. Aang laughed while his animal companion licked the side of Albus' face, causing his hair to stick straight up._

_"Well, it's good to see you three are getting along."_

_They turned to see Gyatso approaching them._

_Aang stood and bowed. "Gyatso, is Albus leaving already?"_

_"No, we haven't found a solution yet, which is why I feel it is prudent we have discussion. Aang, Albus, please come with me," Gyatso said._

_Aang glanced at Albus, and they followed Gyatso into the temple. When they arrived in Aang's room, Gyatso shut the door. Aang sat on his bed, and Albus sat beside him._

_"The other Elders don't want me to tell you this, but I feel it's important." Gyatso sighed. "Specifically for you, Aang."_

_"You mean about Albus being a wizard?" Aang said._

_"Yes. You see Albus isn't just from far away. He's from another world," Gyatso said._

_Aang and Albus' eyes widened. "Another world?"_

_"But how's that possible?" Aang continued._

_"It has been this way since the beginning. Our worlds are connected through the spirit world, but there hasn't been any contact between the two for thousands of years." Gyatso sat down. "This is probably the first crossover since then."_

_Albus furrowed his brow. "If the worlds are disconnected, then how was I able to get through?"_

_"Somehow, you managed to sneak through a crack in the barrier that keeps us separated," Gyatso said, "Tomorrow we'll search the forest for any clues. Until then, I hope you enjoy your stay here, Albus. I know this must be very shocking for you."_

_"Gyatso, is it possible that Albus can visit the other nations?" Aang said._

_Gyatso shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Aang. While Albus is safe with us, his identity must not be revealed to the rest of the world. If the wrong person were to find out about him and his world, it would cause more trouble than you could imagine."_

_Aang pouted. "Okay."_

_"Now, I'm sure there's something you two could entertain yourselves with?" Gyatso smiled. "I bet Albus has never played Pai Sho before. Perhaps you can show him, Aang?"_

_Aang returned the smile, knowing that his mentor was trying to lighten the mood, and bowed. "Yes, Monk Gyatso."_

_"Wonderful. I have other duties to attend to, but I'll catch up with you both later this evening." Gyatso left the room._

_Once he was gone, Albus collapsed against the bed with his arms spread out. "Bloody Merlin. I actually managed to travel to another world? Maybe this is a dream? Or possibly I've gone mad, and my parents are already signing me off to St. Mungo's?"_

_"Cheer up. It's not that bad." Aang leaned over him._

_"Speak for yourself. When my father hears about this, I'm going to wish I was only dreaming. Or dead." Albus shivered. "Maybe I could stay here forever? Your Elders won't mind, right?"_

_"Albus, you'll be fine. I promise." Aang stood and walked over to his closet. "Now, let me show you how to get your butt kicked at Pai Sho."_

….

Katara laughed. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. You make friends everywhere you go. Did Albus ever return home?"

"Yeah." Aang nodded. "Apparently a rift appeared in the forest that allowed him to pass back and forth. Albus continued to visit the temple until we were twelve, and well, you already know the rest. Although, given how long it's been, he probably already passed away."


	5. Of Pure and Proper Things

_"We love you, Siku."_

_"We love you so much, sweetie, and we are so, so sorry."_

_"We're always your family no matter what."_

_"Please, don't forget us."_

Sylvia opened her eyes and yawned. _Was it a dream?_

Last night, she could've sworn she'd seen her step-parents. They were like spirits, crying out their farewells before embarking on their journey into the afterlife.

_But they can't be dead. It had to be a dream._ Sylvia turned over and gasped. "Fufu?"

Her penguotter was tucked under the covers beside her. Picking up the stuffed animal, she noticed it seemed brand new, and she couldn't spot the extra stitches from when her step-mother fixed it.

"Fufu, I thought I lost you." Sylvia hugged it. "How did you get here?"

The bedroom door opened, and Narcissa walked in, already dressed for the day.

"Good morning, Sylvia," she said.

"Good morning, Mrs. Malfoy. You won't believe what happened." Sylvia held up Fufu. "I had this weird dream that my step-parents visited me, and then he appeared on my bed."

Narcissa furrowed her brow. "What kind of dream?"

"They were spirits, and they told me how much they loved me before saying goodbye," Sylvia said.

"Spirits? Like ghosts, dear?" Receiving a nod, Narcissa sat on the bed. "Didn't you say were caught in a storm?"

"Yes." Sylvia tilted her head. "Why?"

Narcissa bore a grim expression, but she quickly hid it behind a smile. "Nothing to worry about, Sylvia. After all, it was only a dream. Now, who's your friend?"

"This is Fufu, the penguotter. Here to spread wintery fun to all." Sylvia giggled. "I lost him when I ran away. Did you put him here, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"No. You say he appeared on your bed?" she said.

"Yeah, and he's all fixed up too." Sylvia furrowed her brow. "It's weird."

"It seems you missed him so much that your magic summoned him to you. I say, and it looks like Fufu is still exhausted from traveling so far. Why don't we let him rest?" Narcissa placed the stuffed animal under the covers. "As for you, it's time to get dressed."

Narcissa helped Sylvia change into a light blue and white dress with matching shoes and stockings.

"Let's see. What to do with your hair?" Narcissa ran a hand through it. "It's so thick and wavy."

"It's okay. I can do it," Sylvia said.

Walking over to the dresser, she retrieved her comb and put her hair back into a ponytail. She then tied her loose strands into the band and snapped her beads on.

Narcissa watched her with scrutiny. "That's an _interesting_ style."

"It's traditional back home." Sylvia gestured to her hair-loopies.

"Yes, well, it isn't suitable for your outfit. Presentation is very important, Sylvia." Narcissa held her head high. "It's crucial to make a good first impression, and the very first thing people notice is appearance. You must be attentive to your style from head to toe."

"Can I keep the beads? I always wear them," Sylvia said.

"Alright, but let's loosen these up a bit, and oh–!" She snapped her fingers. "I know what'll be perfect for you."

Narcissa tapped her wand against the ends of Sylvia's hair, making them curl until they were tight, silky ringlets. She topped it off with a large, blue bow at the base of her ponytail before placing Sylvia in front of the full-length mirror.

"See how lovely you look?" Narcissa said.

Sylvia wrinkled her nose, her gaze lowering to the floor. "It's pretty."

"Exactly." Narcissa nodded. "As a young witch of noble status, you must always adhere to the three Ps: Propriety, Poise, and Purity."

"What does that mean?" Sylvia said.

" _Propriety_ is acting in a civil and respectable manner." Narcissa's tone became firm. "You must never behave in a way that will bring shame onto your household. Understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy," she said.

"Now, _Poise_ is how you carry yourself. Young ladies are always graceful and elegant from our speech to our body language." Narcissa twirled around. "Lastly, _Purity_ is pride for the blood that runs through your veins as well as the protection of your virtue."

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "My virtue?"

"We'll save that discussion for another time." Narcissa chuckled. "Speaking of which, we're still ahead of schedule, so let's work on a little etiquette, shall we? Show me how you greet someone."

Sylvia put her hands together and bowed. "Good morn–"

"See, right there. In our culture, ladies do not bow. We curtsy." Narcissa demonstrated the proper movement. "Now you try."

Sylvia gripped the edges of her dress with her fingertips. She crossed her legs, her balance shaky, and slightly lowered her head while bending her knees.

"Fair." Narcissa corrected her posture. "You'll need to work on your balance."

For thirty minutes, Narcissa gave Sylvia tips on proper lady-like behavior before leaving to get Draco ready. Sylvia sat by the windowsill and looked outside. She longed to play in the snow, and hoped she'd have a chance after breakfast.

Narcissa stood in the doorway with Draco at her side. "Time to go downstairs, Sylvia."

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Sylvia followed her. "Morning, Draco."

"Morning, Sylvia." He rubbed his eyes.

The dining hall was as glamorous as the rest of the manor. Various artifacts and paintings hung on the wall, and a large fireplace warmed the room. A long table rested in the center, and Lucius was already seated at the head of it.

He looked up from his copy of the Daily Prophet. "Good morning, everyone."

"Morning, Lucius. Sorry we're late. Our son was reluctant to wake up." Narcissa nodded to Draco, who was still yawning.

"It's not my fault, Mother. Dobby was slacking off and dropped a tray of silverware in the hallway last night. The noise woke Sylvia and me up, and she even had to waste her time helping him," Draco said.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

Hearing a whimper, Sylvia noticed Dobby cowering behind the door.

"Dobby," Lucius' stern voice called.

The house-elf shuffled into view, his ears drooping. "Yes, Master?"

"Wait, don't be mad at him, Mr. Malfoy." Sylvia stepped forward. "It was an accident."

Lucius looked at her. "Accidental or not, Dobby knows better than to be so clumsy." He narrowed his eyes at the house-elf. "I'll deal with you later. For now, continue serving breakfast, and don't drop anything."

"Y-yes, Master." Dobby nodded and met Sylvia's gaze before leaving the room.

She furrowed her brow. _I have to get him alone and ask him about the Water Tribes._

"Why don't you two sit over here?" Narcissa guided Draco and Sylvia to the opposite end of the table. "Draco, what does a gentleman do in the presence of a lady?"

"Allow me, Miss." Draco spoke with the most aristocratic tone he could muster and pulled out Sylvia's chair.

Sylvia performed another awkward curtsy. "Thank you very much, sir." She sat down and let him push her chair in.

"Good. Very good." Narcissa applauded before returning to Lucius.

Draco sat across from Sylvia and glanced at his parents with a frown. Dobby returned with plates of eggs, sausages, fruit, and toast. Lucius and Narcissa conversed amongst themselves while Draco ate in silence.

"I guess you're used to sitting with your parents?" Sylvia said.

"Yes." He sighed. "Now I'm stuck with you."

She folded her arms. "Hey, don't forget what I told you."

He rolled his eyes. "Very well, I suppose we should be civil with each other, for my parents' sake anyway."

"Um–" Sylvia took a sip of water. "What do you do for fun? I mean, besides the Quidditch stuff?"

"Not much." He shrugged. "I try to practice my magic when I can, and sometimes my friends pay a visit. Usually, I'm busy with my studies."

"What kind of studies?" she said.

"Magical history, family history, writing, and some arithmetic. My parents want me to be at my best once school begins." He grinned. "We'll see if you can catch up."

"I'm a fast learner." She started eating.

While Sylvia enjoyed their food, she still missed her favorite dishes from back home. Thoughts of arctic hen, stewed sea prunes, and seaweed noodles swam in her mind, and her stomach rumbled in protest.

A small _pop_ sounded off, and an older man shrouded in black robes appeared in the room. His gray hair had receded to the back of his head, but there were still slivers of platinum blond within his strands. A long beard jutted out from his thin, tight jaw, and his tired, gray eyes narrowed in Lucius' direction.

"Lucius, how many times must I tell you not to send my food upstairs?" He struck the end of his walking stick against the ground with a loud thud.

Lucius sighed. "Father, you know you haven't been well these past few weeks. Don't strain yourself."

"Poppycock. I'm as healthy as ever, and I will not be coddled like an old man." Covering his mouth, he succumbed to a fit of hoarse coughs.

The older man's gaze flickered over Narcissa and Draco before zeroing in on Sylvia. He frowned, his nose curling in disapproval, and she shrunk back in her chair.

Narcissa smiled. "Sylvia, this is Draco's grandfather, Abraxas. Abraxas, you remember that we–"

"What in Merlin's name?" Abraxas apparated right in front of Sylvia.

She jumped, startled, but froze when Abraxas pressed the metal bust of his walking stick under her chin. He tilted her head up, then side to side.

Narrowing his eyes, he huffed. "What's your surname, girl?"

"Uh, Hexington, sir," Sylvia said.

"Hexington?" Abraxas glared at her before looking at his son. "Lucius, you let one of those blood-traitors into our home!"

Sylvia furrowed her brow. "Blood-traitor?"

"Nothing but Muggle-loving heathens, they were. Now they're dead." Abraxas chuckled. "Good riddance, I say."

"Abraxas, enough." Narcissa stood. "Sylvia's only a child and has no ties to her family. She won't end up like them."

"Bloody hell she won't." Abraxas scoffed. "I can see it in her little, conniving eyes."

"Narcissa's right. Enough, Father. I stand by my decision to bring Sylvia here, and it will not change," Lucius said.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." Abraxas left the room, his walking stick clanking against the floor from his shaky movements.

Sylvia looked at Narcissa. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, dear. Abraxas has become rather unpleasant since he's been ill." She looked at Lucius. "He needs to go to St. Mungo's."

"I've tried, but you know how stubborn he is," Lucius said.

"Then slip him a sleeping potion and be done with it." Narcissa shook her head. "I'm certain he's starting to show signs of dragon pox, and if he doesn't get treatment soon, he'll only get worse. Besides, I don't want him passing it to the children."

"I'll see what I can do." He stood. "For now, I must leave."

"Alright, have a good day at work, dear." She kissed him.

"I hope so." Lucius frowned. "Weasley's trying to issue a warrant to raid our home tomorrow."

"Honestly, does that man never give up? With so many mouths to feed, you'd think he'd find a real job," Narcissa said.

"Yes, the Weasleys have a knack for making a mockery of themselves, don't they?" Lucius headed for the door. "Have a good day, everyone."

"Have a good day, Father," Draco said.

"You too, Mr. Malfoy." Sylvia looked at her plate, ignoring the cold stare Draco was giving her. _I'm a blood-traitor?_

….

After breakfast, Narcissa brought Sylvia and Draco to the family library. It was a sizable room with several rows of bookshelves. Sylvia and Draco sat at the table while Narcissa levitated a few books in front of them.

"Sylvia, you'll study the ways of magical society and our history. Draco, you'll continue your calligraphy lessons, but before you both begin–" She nodded to her son. "Draco, please explain the importance of blood purity."

"Yes, Mother." He smiled. "As pure-bloods, we are the elite of society. Magic is our birth right, and we must always uphold the ancient traditions to preserve our culture and pure lineage."

"So if we're _pure_ -bloods, are there witches and wizards who aren't, Mrs. Malfoy?" Sylvia said.

"Correct. Aside from Muggles, there are half-bloods, squibs, muggle-borns, half-breeds, and many magical creatures." Narcissa gestured for Draco to continue.

"Half-bloods are the result of a pure-blood and someone of Muggle status. The mud-bloods–" Draco paused, seeing his mother narrow her eyes. "I mean, the muggle-borns are witches and wizards born to completely Muggle families."

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "What's a mud-blood?"

"A term for muggle-borns." Draco sneered. "We consider their blood dirty like mud."

"However, that isn't a word we use in polite conversation." Narcissa placed her hands on her hips. "Refrain from it."

"Sorry, Mother." Draco nodded. "Muggle-borns are a disease in our society along with half-breeds, which are the result of a magical human and a second class, magical creature."

"Like house-elves?" Sylvia said.

"Yes, along with goblins, giants, centaurs, and Veela. Of course, there's also those unlucky enough to be cornered by a vampire or werewolf." He shivered.

_Goblins? Werewolves?_ Sylvia furrowed her brow. "And squibs?"

"Squibs are an embarrassment. They're born to magical families, but possess no ability at all. We usually abandon them in the Muggle world," Draco said.

Sylvia bit her lip. "And what about the word your grandfather used? What's a blood-traitor?"

"They're pure-bloods who don't follow the traditions." He threw her a skeptic look. "They willingly place our culture and world in jeopardy, so they may live alongside filth."

"So am I bad or something?" Sylvia lowered her head.

"No." Narcissa put hand on her shoulder. "As I told Abraxas, you're not responsible for the actions of your family. You belong right here, Sylvia. Rise above their mistakes and become better than they ever were. Alright?"

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Sylvia nodded.

"Good." Narcissa smiled. "Read through these first. You need to learn your place, and the place of others, within our society."

Sylvia glanced over the covers. One was titled: _The Pure-Blood Directory_ , and the second: _Pure-Bloods Across The World_. She opened the first one and read the introduction.

_"Of all the families in the Wizarding World, there are only a select few whom are truly pure and worthy of the title Wizard and Witch. These are the Sacred Twenty-Nine."_

The next page provided a list of all the pure-blood families, including the Malfoys and Hexingtons. She flipped to the page that had her family's information and continued reading.

_"Domus Secretorum is the creed of the noble Hexington line, for the family is quite the secretive lot. They have kept themselves away from the realm of politics and fame for centuries. It was no small task uncovering what little information I could, and even that only reaches back to the 1500's."_

She glossed over the list of recent family members.

_William Amery Hexington: B. 1865_

_Isabelle Pearl Hexington née Rosier: B. 1869_

_Amery Felix Hexington: B. 1885_

_Caldwell Griffin Hexington: B. 1887_

_Medwin Aeolus Hexington: B. 1889_

_Alexander Durward Hexington I: B. 1891- D. 1910_

_Valentina Hexington née Eisler: B. 1892- D. 1908_

_Elizabeth Ivy Hexington: B. 1908_

_Alexander Durward Hexington II: B. 1908_

_Lycoris Ara Hexington née Black: B. 1904_

_Preston Milo Hexington: B. 1926_

_"The last of the noble line before the family's fall from grace. Many members have shockingly taken interest in Grindlewald's 'Greater Good' movement, which has swept across Eastern Europe._

_The household is under the care of Alexander II, whom appears dedicated to dragging the Hexington name through the mud. He has been known to provide shelter to Muggles and muggle-borns during their tedious World War._

_While Alexander II's marriage to a member of the prestigious Black line secures his family's blood purity, their status and conduct of secrecy might be jeopardized within the next generation."_

Sylvia groaned, feeling more confused than ever. _Why is everything so segregated?_

Her step-family comprised of benders and non-benders as well as a blend of two nations. They also had friends, like Toph, who was one of the greatest earth-benders of all time, and even the Fire Nation royal family, who were all once her step-family's enemies.

_If everyone back home can live together in peace, couldn't it be the same here?_ She furrowed her brow. _Then again, everything is so different. Maybe it's just the way things are?_

….

Later that night, Sylvia was preparing herself for bed when she heard a knock at her door. Opening it, she saw Dobby waiting outside.

He bowed his head. "May Dobby come in, Miss?"

"Sure." She let him inside and quickly shut the door. "Would you like to sit down? I'm sure you're tired."

"Sit… sit down?" Dobby whimpered. "Miss is truly kind, but Dobby shouldn't."

"It's okay." She gestured toward the chair. "I don't mind."

"Thank you, Miss." Dobby sat down and wiped his eyes. "In return for Miss' kindness, Dobby wanted to explain. Miss asked Dobby about the Water Tribes?"

"Yes." She lowered her voice, in case someone was outside in the hallway. "How did you know? Everyone else has looked at me like I turned into a platypus-bear."

"Humans don't know about the two worlds, but Dobby visited there once when very young. They thought Dobby was a spirit." He smiled. "Dobby had never received such praise before."

" _Two_ different worlds?" Sylvia's eyes widened.

"Yes. Where Miss came from is call the World of Elements, and here is the World of Magic. Both are connected through the Spirit World."

"No way." She flopped onto the floor.

"Are you alright, Miss?" He walked over to her. "Dobby didn't mean to upset you."

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," she said, "All of this has been very overwhelming."

"Dobby does not know Miss' story, but humans traveling between both worlds is forbidden. When it does happen, it's by accident," he said.

She furrowed her brow. "Why only humans?"

"To maintain balance." Dobby sighed. "According to the spirits Dobby met, humans have caused too much trouble in the past."

"I see. Thank you, Dobby." She yawned. "I'm going to bed now."

"Very well." He stood. "Dobby hopes Miss has a good night."

"You too." Sylvia walked over to the door.

Peering outside, she didn't see anyone in the hallway and opened the door for Dobby. Once he was gone, she crawled under the covers and cuddled Fufu.

"The Avatar is the bridge between the spiritual and physical realm, so were my step-parents really here last night?" She sighed. "If they were, why didn't they bring me home? And how did I go to their world if I'm a witch?"

_"We love you so much, sweetie, and we are so, so sorry."_

Tears swelled in Sylvia's eyes. "At least they're not mad at me, but I guess we're never going to see them again, Fufu."


	6. True Colors

Sylvia and Draco sat at the table in the library, and waited for Narcissa to assign their work.

"You're awfully quiet today," he said.

She looked at him. "Sorry, I'm just thinking."

Sylvia tried to wrap her head around the idea of there being two separate worlds, and the more she thought about it, the more questions she had.

"Listen, about yesterday–" Draco paused, making sure to be careful with his words. "Did you know your blood family at all?"

"No." She shook her head. "My parents died the day I was born. All I have from them are my name and the inheritance."

"Well, take everything my mother and I said to heart. You can change your family's reputation for the better. Becoming a blood-traitor isn't worth it," he said.

She nodded. "I understand."

Narcissa returned to the table and waved her wand. Two rolls of parchment unraveled in front of Sylvia and Draco while a quill, bottle of ink, and a book appeared on each side.

"Today, you both will practice calligraphy," Narcissa said.

Sylvia raised her hand. "Mrs. Malfoy, can you please tell me about the war with You-Know-Who?"

Narcissa looked at her with uncertainty. "What would you like to know?"

"Who was he?" she said.

Sighing, Narcissa sat down. "I don't know about the Dark Lord's origins, and when I first learned of him, I was still in school. By then, he had risen to power, and within a few years, he had the whole country cowering from his name alone."

Sylvia furrowed her brow. "But why? Did he want to kill everyone and take over the world?"

Narcissa's eyes widened. "Goodness no. What on earth gave you such a dark idea?"

"My muggle family survived through a war. They told me the man behind it was so ruthless that he didn't care about anyone, even his own children. He would've burned the whole world down to get what he wanted," Sylvia said.

Draco folded his arms. "And who was he?"

"His name was Ozai, but you wouldn't have heard of him. Once he was defeated, they imprisoned him, but not too long after, he was assassinated in his cell." Sylvia glanced away. "I don't think they ever found out who did it."

She examined the expressions on Narcissa and Draco's faces. They looked intrigued, but skeptical at the same time. Sylvia knew she would have to be discreet when discussing her past, and it pained her.

_I don't want to pretend like everything I grew up with wasn't real, but what choice do I have?_ Sylvia stared at the blank parchment in front of her. "Was the Dark Lord like Ozai, Mrs. Malfoy? Wars do nothing but hurt and destroy. Only a cruel person would start one."

Narcissa was silent, allowing her words to sink in. "Not always, dear."

Sylvia tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why muggles and magical citizens live separately?" she said.

Sylvia nodded. "Mr. Malfoy said muggles don't understand us. That they would try to hurt us."

"Exactly." Narcissa looked toward the window with a solemn expression. "The Magical World is forced to live in secrecy. The Dark Lord wanted restore the balance between us, so our kind could live freely. However, not everyone agreed with this. They believe that muggles and their muggle-born offspring deserved to be the most protected, even at the expense of our world."

Sylvia bit her lip, for Narcissa's explanation kind of made sense. Part of her wondered how muggles could be threatening to magical people, but she knew of plenty of non-benders who were just as capable, and even deadly, as their bending counterparts.

"What happened to the Dark Lord?" she said.

"He was defeated by a mere infant named, Harry Potter." Narcissa's nose curled. "The Boy Who Lived."

_That's not surprising. My step-father defeated Ozai when he was only twelve._ She met Narcissa's gaze. "How?"

"I'm sure we'll find out once we begin school." Draco smiled. "Potter should be in our year, shouldn't he, Mother?"

"Yes, but enough of this depressing talk. Draco, you know what to do, and as for you, Sylvia, I can assume you've never used a quill and ink before?"

"Only the quill. Back home we used brushes," Sylvia said.

"Not too much of a difference." Narcissa opened the book to its first page. "Here. Copy the first sentence."

Sylvia took hold of the quill and dipped the sharp end into the bottle of ink. She dragged the pen across the parchment and wrote the first word.

Narcissa grabbed her wrist. "Stop. You're scratching the parchment, and your hand isn't positioned correctly. Hold your hand at an angle, not vertically, and your letters are too jagged and spaced apart. Looks like I'll have to teach you proper cursive."

An hour passed while Narcissa taught Sylvia writing and language. Sylvia was then left to practice on her own, but as she transcribed the text from the book, her mind wandered.

_That Harry Potter must be really amazing to defeat such a powerful wizard. I hope I get to meet him._ She smiled.

A shadow cast over the table, and Sylvia and Draco looked up to see Abraxas looming over them. He didn't look well, and was his skin tinted… green?

"Good morning, Grandfather," Draco said.

"Good morning, Draco, my boy." Abraxas gave a small smile. "I see your parents have you keeping an eye on our manky ward."

"It's all right, Grandfather." He sighed. "Sylvia isn't a traitor."

"That remains to be seen." Abraxas narrowed his eyes at Sylvia. "A tad peculiar how you popped in out of thin air, girl. Lucius told me there were no records of your existence prior to your incident at the Ministry, not even for accidental magic. Where have you been hiding? Inside some putrid hovel? Probably the most fitting for your kind."

"Excuse me, Mr.–" Sylvia gave him a quizzical look.

He rolled his eyes. "You're permitted to call me Mr. Malfoy."

"But Draco's dad is already Mr. Malfoy. That's confusing." She smiled. "How about Mr. Grandpa?"

Abraxas' nose twitched, but it was difficult to tell if it was from annoyance or if he had a sneeze coming on. "No."

"Uh…. Mr. Gramp-Gramp?" she said.

"No," he said.

She thought for a moment before grinning. "I know. How about Mr. _Really_ _Old_ Malfoy."

Abraxas whacked Sylvia on the head with his walking stick. He pointed it in her face, and now that she had a better look, the end of the stick was crowned with the silver bust of a snake's head.

She stared at it, tuning out Abraxas' ranting. _Come to think of it, the whole manor is decorated with something serpent related. I wonder why?_

Abraxas growled. "Lucius and Narcissa may have brought you here, but that doesn't stop me from stringing you up by your thumbs if you don't show some respect."

"Why should I?" Sylvia glared at him and stood. "You're mean and rude, so if my family and I disgust you so much, stay away from me!"

Her hands gripped the edge of the table, and it began to shake as though it were caught in an earthquake. Her eyes watered to the point of stinging, and she was too choked up to speak.

"What's all the commotion?" Narcissa walked over to them. "Abraxas, what are you doing here? You should be resting."

"I'm fine, Narcissa. I was only stretching my legs," he said.

"Well, may you do so away from the children?" She moved him toward the door before narrowing her eyes at his skin. "Oh my word. Your skin is turning green. I'm getting Lucius, and you're going to St. Mungo's this instant."

Abraxas frowned. "I don't–"

"Enough of your excuses, you stubborn fool." Narcissa shooed him away. "Now out with you."

They left the library, and their bickering echoed from the hallway.

Draco stared at his book, his voice timid. "So it's true. He does have dragon-pox."

Sylvia sat down. "What's dragon-pox?"

"A nasty disease, even fatal from what I've heard." He grimaced. "It covers you in these red, itchy bumps, sparks fly out of your nose when you sneeze, and as you saw, your skin turns green."

She recalled when she was little, and her great gran-gran was on her deathbed. It had been expected, but it was still a sad time for her step-family.

"Well, I hope your grandfather will be alright," she said.

"Like you care." Draco sneered at her. "Did you have to antagonize him?"

"It was worth the pain." She rubbed the sore spot on her head. "Your grandpa's a jerk. I've dealt with enough people like him in the Muggle World."

"You shouldn't make a habit of speaking to my family like that unless you want to be thrown out," he said.

"And your family shouldn't make a habit of insulting me, or else, I'll gladly leave." She huffed, her gaze downcast. "The last group of idiots who bullied me ended up in the infirmary. I think one of them is missing his legs now."

Draco glanced her over. From what Sylvia noticed, the Malfoys had a knack for sizing people up. Lucius had done it when they first met, along with Narcissa and Abraxas, but Draco had done it more than once. His expression was either curious or scrutinizing depending on their interaction.

"Well, I must say–" Draco picked up his quill and began transcribing again. "It'll be interesting to see what house you're placed in."

She raised an eyebrow. "House?"

"At Hogwarts." He sighed. "I'd rather go to Durmstrang, but my mother doesn't want me attending school so far from home. However, according to my father, Hogwarts is still a great school in spite of its headmaster."

"So what are the houses?" she said.

"There's four if I remember correctly. Hufflepuff is the worst of them all, full of duffers. If I were placed there, I'd leave in a heartbeat. Then there's Ravenclaw. Heard the most intelligent go there. Next is Gryffindor for the–" He quoted his fingers. " _Brave._ Please. More like all rash actions and no brains."

"Really? And the last one?" she said.

"Slytherin, the best house. Only for the pure, cunning, and ambitious." Draco smiled with pride. "My family has been placed there for centuries."

_Slytherin? As in serpents? That explains it._ She picked up her quill. "How will we be placed into a house?"

"I suppose we take some kind of test. My parents won't tell me. Said they don't want to spoil the surprise," he said.

Draco and Sylvia continued their work. She fumbled a bit with her pen, smearing ink onto her hand, and had to wipe it off on part of the parchment. Once she finished the first page, she glanced over her notes. The whole thing was a mess, and she was sure Narcissa would have her throw it out and try again.

She placed her quill down and rested her cheek against her hand. _I wonder what house my family was in?_

….

Later that evening, Sylvia and Draco headed outside to play. She had changed into her water tribe attire, so she wouldn't ruin her dress. Fufu was tightly cuddled in her arms while she joined Draco at front entrance.

He turned and raised an eyebrow. "What is that thing?"

She held Fufu up. "This is Fufu, my penguotter."

He curled his nose. "It's hideous."

"Who asked you?" Sylvia petted Fufu's head. "It's okay. Don't listen to him. You're above the influence."

Draco rolled his eyes before opening the door. "Honestly, you still play with stuff animals? What are you, four?"

"And what are you, the toy police? I can play with whatever I want." She huffed and walked ahead of him.

Sylvia stood on the front steps and looked around. Everything was coated in a thick layer of snow, and more continued to fall from the gray clouds above.

"I love this weather." She beamed. "Hey, Draco, let's have a sled race."

He shook his head. "Not interested."

"Why? Afraid I'll beat you?" she said.

"Please." He scoffed. "Like I'd lose to a girl."

"Well, if you're so sure, then prove it." She laughed. "Otherwise, you're just a scaredy cat-rat."

Sylvia continued to tease him until he glared at her, his lips pursed.

"I'm not scared." Draco marched away, leaving deep footprints in the snow, but when she didn't follow, he glanced back. "Either follow me, or you lose the race by default."

They headed through the west side of the gardens, and in the center of the hedges was a large fountain. Despite the freezing temperature, water still spilled out from the structure into the small pool at the base. Looking down into the water, Sylvia could see fish swimming inside.

Draco brought her to a large shed and opened it. Inside were various gardening items, but he walked over to the left corner and retrieved a sled.

"I only have one." He sighed. "I suppose we can take turns to see who can go the farthest."

"No need. Fufu and I have it covered," she said.

"You're going to sled on that?" He shifted his gaze between her and the stuffed animal. "Are you mad?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Do I look angry to you?"

"No, no. Mad means crazy, like mental, nutter." Draco folded his arms. "Your vocabulary is off."

"Oh, and no, I'm not." Sylvia smiled. "Penguotter's are native to the South Pole, and if you're able to catch one, they'll let you go sledding on them. It's really fun."

"Hold on. Don't you mean penguins and otters, not penguotters?" Draco huddled his scarf closer to his neck, a puff of smoke escaping his lips. "And there's no such thing as a cat-rat either."

"Yeah, you're right." She gave an uneasy laugh. "That's what we call them back home because they're so similar."

"Sure, but how do expect to sled on that thing?" he said.

Sylvia smirked. "Watch."

The two of them headed toward the steepest hill in the field. It was constructed of snow, and stood at least three yards tall.

Draco laid his sled down and pointed across the field. "The first to reach that tree wins."

"Okay, but I warn you." Sylvia rested Fufu on his stomach and sat on top of him. "I'm a pro at this."

"We'll see." He mounted his sled. "At my mark on three. One, two…."

Before he counted to three, Draco pushed off and took his descent down the hill.

"Hey!" Sylvia quickly followed, but with his head start, there was no way she'd catch up. " _Water, do as I say! Turn our path to ice, and curve a detour to the right!_ "

"What?" He glanced back.

At Sylvia's command, the snow solidified into a sheet of ice and rose, creating a u-turn. Draco screamed while they swerved around the corner, but she laughed with glee.

" _Make a tunnel through the hill!_ " she said.

The ice enclosed around them and burrowed through the hill. Sylvia made rings around Draco while he held on for dear life.

" _Now do a loop-de-loop into a big jump!_ " she said.

At the end of the tunnel, the ice sent the two of them up and around, but Draco's sled lost traction, flinging him into a pile of snow. Sylvia, on the other hand, kept her balance and sped off the ledge. She soared through the air, fresh powder fluttering around her, before landing and sliding past the tree.

"Oh yeah!" She pumped her fist in the air. "We win, Fufu!"

Draco pulled himself out of the snow and stomped over to Sylvia, his face flushed and wet.

"What the bloody hell was that? Were you trying to kill me?" he said.

"No, I can manipulate water with my magic. I told you I was a pro. It's not my fault you didn't believe me." She stuck her tongue out at him.

He frowned. "Well, you cheated. I didn't say anything about using magic."

"You cheated first." She stood and picked up Fufu. "Serves you right."

"Draco, Sylvia, time to come inside!" Narcissa called.

Grumbling, Draco put his sled away and stormed back to the front door.

"Draco, dearie, you're soaking wet." Narcissa removed his hat, coat, and scarf, and tossed them to Dobby.

"Girls are infuriating!" Draco marched by her, his feet sloshing against the entrance rug.

Narcissa raised an eyebrow before looking at Sylvia, who had caught up. "What happened?"

"Draco's ma– I mean _upset_ because I beat him at our sled race," Sylvia said.

He turned around. "She cheated."

She huffed. "Did not."

"Did too," he said.

"Did not," she said.

"Did too," he said.

"Children, enough." Narcissa put her hands on her lips. "Now, let's get you both warmed up before you catch your death."

"But she did, Mother." Draco pointed at Sylvia. "She used her magic."

Sylvia saw a smug grin form on his lips and cringed when she heard Narcissa's stern tone.

"Is that true, Sylvia?" Narcissa said.

"A little." She glanced away. "But I couldn't help it. My magic affects water, and it's everywhere outside. See, I'll show you."

Sylvia set Fufu down before rushing back outside. She scooped two fistfuls of snow into her hands and returned to the doorstep.

"See. Look. _Water, do as I say. Make a rose_ ," she said.

The snow melted and formed a gelatinous rose that floated above her hands.

" _Now freeze,_ " she said. " _And don't melt_."

A perfect, crystalized rose formed, and Sylvia gave it to Narcissa.

"Why that's beautiful." Narcissa examined the flower. "You definitely have a talent, but you need to be more careful, Sylvia. You don't want to risk hurting yourself or others."

She nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Let's see if I can preserve this in a vase. Sylvia, give your coat to Dobby, so he can dry it," Narcissa said.

Sylvia looked at Dobby, who was already buried underneath Draco's clothes, and furrowed her brow. "It's okay, Mrs. Malfoy. My coat's made from animal skins. It'll dry on its own."

"Very well." Narcissa sighed. "Dobby, stop fumbling, and don't forget to clean the floor."

"Yes, Mistress. Dobby is going." He took Draco's belongings and rushed into another room.

"All right, Draco, Sylvia, it's time for bed," Narcissa said.

Draco nodded. "Yes, Mother."

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Sylvia grabbed Fufu.

The two of them headed upstairs to the second floor, and made their way to their rooms.

Draco sneered at Sylvia. "Clever, buttering up to my mother like that."

"I had three younger siblings in my muggle family. Don't underestimate me." With a wink, she entered her room and closed the door.


	7. Acceptance

It was a hot day in June, the fifth to be exact, and Draco was being spoiled to the moon for his eleventh birthday. Sylvia, unfortunately, had to study until the party.

She wandered over to one of the library windows and took a moment to enjoy the warm sun. “It’s such a wonderful day.”

There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky, and she could hear the birds chirping with glee while they fluttered around the garden. Sylvia smiled when she saw the birds resting amongst her ice flowers. Narcissa had allowed her to create a whole patch of them, and now the flowers glistened in the sunlight like beautiful crystal, unfazed by the blistering heat.

Sighing, Sylvia returned to the table, for as bored as she was, she didn’t want to get in trouble for not paying attention to her studies. She glanced over her notes and frowned. Today’s lessons were on the witch trials.

“How could the muggles resort to such barbaric means to kill us?” She grimaced at the thought of being burned alive or drowned. “They are so cruel.”

Sylvia had learned many things about the Wizarding World in only a few months, and while it was overwhelming, it was also exciting. After being left in the dark for so long, she wanted nothing more than to learn all she could and become the best witch she could be.

“Sylvia! Sylvia!”

Hearing Draco’s voice, she looked up and saw him rush into the library. He stopped next to the table, panting a little, but the smile plastered on his face never wavered.

“What is it?” she said.

“We got in.” He handed her a cream-colored envelope.

Sylvia took it and read the front. “To Ms. Sylvia Kai Hexington. The East Wing of Malfoy Manor, Second Floor, Farthest Room On The Right, Wiltshire, England.”

She turned it over, spotting the formal wax seal, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name. Ripping the envelope open, she read the letter inside.

“Dear, Ms. Hexington. We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” She gasped.

“Isn’t this exciting? We’re finally going to receive our wands,” Draco said.

“Well, it’s definitely, what’s the word?” Sylvia thought for a minute. “Surreal?”

He glanced over her shoulder. “What are you working on?”

“History lessons again.” She sighed. “You?”

“Practicing my flying,” he said.

“Finally bought you that Nimbus broom you’ve been begging for, did they?” She returned to her reading.

“No, because apparently first years are not allowed a broom.” He pouted and leaned back against the table. “It’s not fair. I’ve waited eleven years for this moment, and now I have to wait one more.”

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll live.”

“I know.” He grinned. “Maybe I could smuggle one in.”

“Does it really matter, Draco? I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason why we’re not allowed,” she said.

“You’re only saying that because you’re not any good.” He laughed.

“Only because  _someone_ won’t let me borrow one of their brooms.” She stood and folded her arms. 

“Not anymore.” He scoffed. “You almost broke it last time.”

“Yeah, because you can’t teach to save your life.” She got in his face. “Of course, we could have a go right now? I’ll show you how good I am.”

Narcissa entered the library and walked over to them. “Oh, Draco, there you are. Hurry downstairs, dearie, your friends have arrived. You as well, Sylvia. You’re finished for today.”

Sylvia and Draco headed downstairs to the main entrance where three boys were waiting. Two of them were large, chubby, and neither looked too bright. The third was a scrawny thing, who couldn’t pull off the sophisticated clothes he was wearing.

“Crabbe, Goyle.” Draco nodded to the two, large boys before turning his attention to the last one. “Didn’t think you’d make it, Nott.”

The boy, whom Sylvia assumed was Crabbe, glanced her over with puzzled eyes.

“Oi, who’s the girl?” he said.

Draco gestured to her. “This is Sylvia.”

She curtsied for them. “Hexington. It’s lovely to meet all of you.”

“My parents took her in,” he continued.

“Hexington?” Crabbe raised an eyebrow. “Thought that family died off?”

Goyle scoffed and narrowed his eyes at her. “Good riddance. Blood-traitors the lot of them.”

“Well,  _I’m_ not a traitor and never will be.” Sylvia glared at him. “So rude.”

“Don’t mind them. If their heads were any thicker, we could use them as bludgers.” Nott walked over to her and gave a slight bow. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sylvia. You may call me Theodore.”

“Alright, Theodore.” She nodded.

“What are we going to do now, Malfoy?” Crabbe said.

“Let’s head out to the yard for a game of Quidditch.” Draco smirked. “Two on two.”

Sylvia noted that there were five of them, and Draco was counting her as the odd person out. “What about me?”

“You can watch. You’d only slow us down anyway,” he said.

She frowned. “Humph.”

Sylvia followed the boys outside, but detoured into the garden. There was no sense in going to the field if they weren’t going to let her play, and at least she could have some peace and quiet. She sat at one of the tables by the fountain and got lost in her thoughts.

_My birthday is soon. It feels strange not being able to celebrate it with my step-family._ She rested her cheek against her hand.  _I wonder if they’ve forgotten about me already?_

Hearing the boys’ cheerful shouts, Sylvia looked up and saw them soar through the air on their brooms. Even though it sounded strange at first, she was intrigued once she saw broomsticks in action. It reminded her of the gliders her step-father used.

Sylvia laughed to herself, recalling when she was four-years-old. She had snatched one of the gliders when her step-parents weren’t looking and tried to fly with it. Everything went well at first, but then her accidental magic kicked, and she sped into the main parts of town. Thankfully, Aang had spotted her, but just as he caught her, they crash landed into a cabbage merchant’s shop.

She sighed.  _I hate feeling homesick, but I can’t return to the Elemental World. This is my home now._

She took out her Hogwarts letter and glanced over the list of supplies. None of it was what she expected, and even the classes were bizarre. Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, History of Magic, Astronomy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Flying Lessons.

“Eight classes?” She groaned. “How am I supposed to manage all of that?”

Further down the list, it stated that students were allowed to bring a familiar, but only an owl, a cat, or a toad. While Sylvia adored Appa, she wasn’t much of an animal lover in general, and many of the animals in this world were too weird for her.

“I suppose the only one that makes sense is an owl, but I don’t have anyone to write to,” she said.

Sylvia tucked the letter back into its envelope before placing into the side-pocket of her dress. She glanced at the boys once last time and went inside of the manor. Everything was quiet, and she decided to head into the kitchen to visit Dobby. When she arrived, she found Narcissa instructing the house-elf while he added the final touches to the three layer cake on the counter.

“Careful, Dobby. Keep a steady hand with the frosting.” Narcissa narrowed her eyes. “I need everything to perfect.”

“Yes, M–Mistress.” Dobby finished the ribbon around the first layer.

“Is there is anything I can do, Mrs. Malfoy?” Sylvia walked over to them.

Narcissa looked up. “Oh, Sylvia. What are you doing in here? I thought you would be outside with Draco?”

“I was, but there wasn’t enough people for me to play.” She shrugged. “But it’s not a big deal, Mrs. Malfoy. I’d probably make a fool of myself like last time.”

“I see. Boys will be boys.” Narcissa sighed and gave her a small smile. “And, Sylvia, don’t beat yourself up over that little incident. Without practice, there is no perfection.”

“I know. Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy.” Sylvia shifted her attention to the cake. “Wow, that looks delicious. What flavor is it?”

“A vanilla cake with buttercream frosting and peaches on top, my little boy’s absolute favorite.” Narcissa’s eyes watered, and she placed a hand to her chest. “Oh, I still can’t believe it’s been eleven years already. The time flies so fast, and before I know it, I’m going to be hosting his  _seventeenth_ birthday. Not too soon, I hope.”

Sylvia smiled to herself, remembering her step-mother. Katara always fussed over her and her siblings too, especially on their birthdays.

_If I hadn’t run away, would things have turned out differently?_ She lowered her head.  _I should’ve tried to talk to them._

“Why the glum face, Sylvia?” Narcissa said.

“Sorry, I was thinking about my step-family.” She sat in one of the chairs. “I guess I still miss them.”

“Whatever for?” Narcissa’s nose curled into a sneer. “Those muggles were cruel to you.”

_No, all of this was my fault. If I hadn’t let myself get so upset…._ Sylvia forced a nod. “I know, but I can’t help it. I wish my real parents hadn’t died. Then everything wouldn’t be so complicated.”

Narcissa placed a hand on her shoulder. “Listen, love. I know this whole ordeal has been hard on you, but you cannot idle about, worrying about the past. You’ll drive yourself mad. All that matters is what’s in front of you right now, and the success that awaits you in the future. After all, you’ll be attending Hogwarts soon, and I’m sure you’re looking forward to that?”

“Yes.” Sylvia smiled. “Although, the classes do seem a little overwhelming.”

“The course work does take some getting used to, but once you’re further into the year, it’ll become second nature.” Narcissa took out her wand. “Now, how about something to cheer you up?”

Waving her wand at the floor, a large, gift-wrapped box appeared.

“What is it, Mrs. Malfoy?” Sylvia climbed down from the chair and walked over to the box.

“I know your birthday isn’t until next month, but when Lucius and I were out shopping for Draco, something caught my eye.” Narcissa smiled. “Happy Early Birthday, Sylvia.”

Eyes widening, Sylvia tore the wrapping paper off and opened the box. “A broomstick?”

“A Comet Two Hundred-Sixty.” She winked. “After all, what’s a witch without a broom?”

Sylvia rushed over to Narcissa and hugged her. “Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy.”

“You’re very welcome,” Narcissa said.

Sylvia mounted her broom, trying to get a feel for it. The handle was lightweight, and she was able to balance herself without much trouble. She pushed off the ground with her feet, and the broom levitated two feet into the air.

She hovered for a few moments before pointing the handle down, and the broom descended until her feet hit the floor She practiced a few more times and slowly became more comfortable.

Narcissa walked over to her. “What do you think?”

“I like it much more than the one Draco let me borrow. It’s not as awkward.” Sylvia smiled and dismounted the broom. “Do you think I could make the Quidditch team? From what Draco says, it seems really fun.”

“Well, I’m sure you could, but Quidditch isn’t really appropriate for young ladies.” Narcissa shook her head. “Much too rough a sport, and you wouldn’t want to scare away a potential suitor by presenting yourself as too aggressive, would you?”

“A suitor?” Sylvia tilted her head to the side.

“A potential husband. Granted you’re young now, but you won’t be forever. The moment you set foot into Hogwarts, you’ll set a reputation for yourself amongst your peers. Make sure it isn’t a bad one,” Narcissa said.

“Yes, Mrs. Malfoy.” She nodded.

“All right, why don’t you practice outside while we finish up in here?” Narcissa guided her out of the kitchen. “And do keep Draco distracted, will you? I don’t want him to sneak in here and try to search for his presents before it’s time.”

“I will, Mrs, Malfoy.” Sylvia took her Comet and headed back outside.

….

Katara sat on the edge of the bed in Sylvia’s old room. She hadn’t set foot in it since the night she and Aang said goodbye, but today was a special day.

“Happy Birthday, Siku.” Katara smiled, her tone shaky and her eyes wet from crying. “Eleven, already. Look how much you’ve grown.”

She stared at the old photo of a five-year-old Sylvia hugging Appa. More tears ran down her face, and she sniffled while wiping them away.

“Today would’ve been the day, my sweet, little girl. I would’ve hugged you so tight, not wanting you to leave, but I would’ve known you had to.” Katara wiped her eyes again. “I would’ve come with you. Made sure you were safe.”

“Momma, are you okay?”

Looking up, Katara saw Kya standing in the doorway with Tenzin in her arms. “Momma’s alright, sweetie. I was wishing your big sister a happy birthday.”

“But Siku’s not here.” Kya entered the room. “She’s in that magic place.”

“She is.” Katara nodded. “But it makes momma feel better, and who knows? Maybe, in some mysterious way, she can hear me.”

“Is she coming back? It’s boring with only boys around.” Kya pouted. “Bumi always wants to play warrior with Uncle Sokka, and Tenzin just drools.”

She held the infant away from herself while Tenzin babbled and cooed. Katara laughed and took her youngest into her arms.

“Your sister will return once she’s ready.” She stood. “Now, have you and Bumi finished cleaning your rooms?”

“I did.” Kya placed her hands behind her back. “But Bumi keeps trying to bribe me to clean his, and I don’t want to. His room smells like feet, and it’s so messy that it looks like a pigeon-rat’s nest.”

“I’ll talk to him.” Katara sighed. “Meanwhile, you can wait in the dining room, and I’ll fix you something special.”

“Okay.” Kya left the room.

_If only things had turned out differently. I should’ve told you the truth._ Katara returned her attention to the photo. “I promise, Siku. One day, we will see each other again. I love you.” 

She kissed the photo, another tear running down her cheek, and reluctantly, she set the photo down beside the bed before exiting the room.


	8. Green Eyes

“White Pawn to C4.”

“Black Pawn to C5.”

“I can’t believe this.” Sylvia huffed while she watched Draco’s pawn knock hers off of the table. “And I thought Pai Sho was hard.”

“Pai Sho?” Draco raised an eyebrow. “Is that some strange muggle game?”

“Yes. I think I only won once, but that’s because I was so frustrated that my magic played the game for me,” she said.

“Well, you won’t be able to cheat your way out of this.” He grinned, but she saw his expression fall a little. “Black Pawn to C6.”

She examined the spaces and realized that his pawn was in the path of her knight. “White Knight to C6.”

Her knight moved down diagonally and sliced his pawn through with its sword.

“Ha! I got one.” She pumped her fist in the air.

He rolled his eyes. “Beginner’s luck.”

Sylvia let out a small yawn. It was the middle of the night, and despite her resistance, she felt exhaustion slowly creep in. However, Draco was riddled with insomnia and had asked her to keep him company. Well, maybe not in those exact words, but she could tell that’s what he meant.

Abraxas had passed away only a week ago, and Draco wasn’t handling the loss very well. His eyes were red and puffy, and every now and then he’d sniffle. Even as he contemplated his next move, he looked distracted, and although Sylvia didn’t care for his grandfather, she felt sorry for Draco.

“Are you nervous, too?” she said.

He glanced at her and mumbled an abrupt. “About what?”

“Hogwarts. We’re going to leave in two weeks.” She sighed. “There’s so many classes, and who knows what the other students will be like. Don’t you think all of this is overwhelming?”

He shrugged. “Hardly.”

She lowered her head. “But what if I’m no good?”

“Sylvia, magic is your birth right, remember? You’ll certainly do better than any mud-blood.” He slouched back in his chair and folded his arms. “And you’ll be with me. You have nothing to worry about.”

“But it could go either way for me. Sure my real dad and the majority of his side were in Slytherin, but my real mom was in Ravenclaw,” she said.

Draco snorted. “I doubt you’d get Ravenclaw.”

She frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What are you two still doing up at this hour?”

Sylvia and Draco turned to see Narcissa standing in his bedroom doorway.

“We couldn’t sleep, Mother,” Draco said.

Sylvia stretched her arms and yawned, revealing his fib. Narcissa glanced her son over with a furrowed brow before walking over to them.

“Sylvia, why don’t you head back to your room? We’re going school shopping tomorrow. Don’t want you two oversleeping,” Narcissa said.

“Yes, Mrs. Malfoy.” Sylvia stood from the table. “Goodnight, Draco. Everything will alright.”

Draco looked away from her, his eyes watery.

Sighing, she returned to her room and went to bed.

….

Sylvia had seen Diagon Alley busy before, but nothing like this. The streets and shops were packed to the brim with parents shopping for their children, and it was difficult not to get lost in the crowds. The first stop on the Malfoys’ list was _Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions_.

Narcissa ushered Sylvia and Draco inside. The shop-keeper was nowhere in sight, and Narcissa rang the bell on the front desk. After a few minutes, a plump, middle-aged woman, dressed in pale, orange robes, stepped out of the dressing room.

“Good day, Mrs. Malfoy.” The woman smiled.

“Good day, Madam Malkin.” Narcissa gestured to Sylvia and Draco. “I’m here to have the little ones fitted for their Hogwarts robes. They’ll need three each with the finest material you have.”

“Very well.” Malkin calculated the order in her books. “That’ll be a hundred and twenty galleons.”

Narcissa paid the required amount of money before turning her attention to Sylvia and Draco. “I want you two to stay here while your father and I purchase your books and supplies.”

“Yes, Mother,” Draco said.

“Yes, Mrs. Malfoy,” Sylvia said.

Narcissa left the shop, and Malkin guided them to the side of the waiting room.

“Wait here, dears. I will call you once it’s your turn.” She returned to the dressing room.

Sylvia and Draco took a seat and waited for Malkin to finish with the other children. Soon, a teenaged boy left the dressing room, holding black robes with gold and black embroidery. Behind him was an eleven-year-old girl. Her dark hair only reached her ears, and her face appeared pushed in like a pug’s.

The girl glanced to the side, her gaze focusing on Draco, and she stared at him, her brow furrowed.  “Let me guess, you’re a Malfoy?” 

“ _Draco_ Malfoy.” He gave her a curt nod. “And you are?”

The girl blushed, and she quickly curtsied for him. “I’m Pansy Parkinson. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Parkinson… yes, I remember your family.” His tone was nonchalant in spite of her overeagerness. “First year too?”

Pansy nodded. “Yes. Isn’t this exciting?”

“Indeed. It’s nice to meet you, Pansy.” Sylvia smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Sylvia Hexington.”

Pansy’s enchanted expression instantly went sour, and she looked at Sylvia with a sneer. “Who cares?”

Sylvia dropped her hand at her side. “No need to be rude.”

“Like I’d waste my manners on a blood-traitor like you.” Pansy scoffed.

“Sylvia is with me, Parkinson,” Draco said.

“You two?” Pansy shifted her gaze between them, her face bright red. “But that’s impossible. Absolutely scandalous.”

It took Sylvia a moment to realize what Pansy was implying before shaking her head. “No, no, not like that.”

“I say, Parkinson, have you been living under a rock these past few months? Surely the rumors have spread amongst our families’ circles?” Draco rolled his eyes. “My parents took Sylvia in as a member of our household, and do you truly believe the prestigious Malfoy Family would ever accept filth?”

“Why no, I….” Pansy’s voice faltered, and she stepped back.

“Then I suggest you do not insult my family again.” He frowned. “Sylvia is a pure-blood through and through.”

“Forgive me, Malfoy. I did not mean to offend.” She narrowed her eyes at Sylvia. “But I’d still keep an eye on her if I were you. Her family’s been nothing but trouble for decades.”

“Draco has nothing to worry about.” Sylvia folded her arms. “Although, I have a feeling  _you_ will.”

“Pansy–” A woman in elegant, purple robes stood in the shop doorway. “Time to go, love.”

“Coming, Mother.” Pansy smiled at Draco. “See you in Slytherin, Malfoy.”

She gave Sylvia one last dirty look before leaving the shop with her mother.

Sylvia sighed. “So much for making new friends.”

“You’re family built a bad reputation, but once you turn it around, they’ll let up,” Draco said.

Malkin exited the dressing room and looked at them. “It’s your turn, dears.”

Sylvia and Draco followed Malkin and were placed on two pedestals in front of the large mirror. Sylvia counted the minutes until Malkin and her young assistant were done poking her with pins and squeezing her with measuring tape. An hour had passed before she was able to step down with three sets of school robes.

“Just wait outside, dear.” Malkin returned her attention to Draco’s robes. “And send the next student in, will you please?”

Nodding, Sylvia returned to the waiting room, but she tripped on a snag in the carpet, sending herself and her robes tumbling to the floor.

“Great.” Sylvia stood and scrambled to retrieve her robes.

“Here, let me help you.”

Sylvia looked up and saw an eleven-year-old boy pick up one of the robes. When he handed it to her, she got a full glimpse of him. He was a little taller than her, but had such a thin frame that his oversized clothes could’ve fallen straight off. His fair skin contrasted with his messy, dark hair, and behind a pair of taped glasses were the prettiest green eyes she had ever seen.

_What are you thinking? You don’t even fancy boys yet._ She took the robe from him and mumbled a quick, “Thank you. Um, I’m….”

Tongue-tied, Sylvia’s gaze dropped to the floor. She wanted to say her name, but it felt like every time she did, she was met with scrutiny and disapproval.

_I don’t want to be judged for my real family, just me._ She looked at the boy. “I’m Sylvia.”

The boy nodded, but was hesitant to introduce himself as well. After a few moments, he shook his head and smiled.

“I’m Harry,” he said.

“It’s nice to meet you, Harry.” She smiled. “Are you going to Hogwarts too?”

He nodded.

“Well, I’ll see you there.” She pointed back at the dressing room. “Madam Malkin said she was ready for you.”

“Oh, thank you.” Harry headed into the dressing room.

Once he was gone, Sylvia felt her face flush. _What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t act this silly over a boy, but he was so cute. I hope I can see him again at school._

It was another ten minutes before Draco stepped into the waiting room with his robes in hand. “Have my parents returned?”

She shook her head.

“While we wait, take a look at this.” Draco gestured at the window.

Sylvia looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a very large man standing amongst the crowd. He had scraggly hair, and his clothes were worn, with several patches sown in.

“Who is that?” She looked at Draco with a furrowed brow.

“The half-breed giant that tends to the grounds at Hogwarts.” His nose scrunched in disgust. “Just look at him. I hope they keep him locked outside, and apparently he’s escorting that boy who came in after you. How embarrassing. Couldn’t the school have sent someone more civilized?”

Sylvia remained silent and nodded along with his commentary. While the man looked unkempt and a little scary due to his size, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with him.

“The boy? You mean Harry?” she said.

“He told you his name?” Receiving a nod, Draco’s eyes widened. “You mean he’s… that was Potter?”

“I don’t know. He never told me his surname, and there could be a ton of Harrys.” She bit her lip.  _Could it really be him? He wasn’t what I expected, but appearances can be deceiving._

“He told me that his parents were dead, and he’s the right age.” Draco smiled. “Come on. Let’s ask him.”

“Wait.” Sylvia placed a hand on his shoulder. “He was reluctant to tell me his name. Maybe he doesn’t want anyone to know who he is?”

“Why not? He’s famous.” Draco glanced at the dressing room. “If I were him, I’d want everyone to know.”

“But look how he’s dressed. Important people like him prefer to lay low in public.” She rolled her eyes. “And if  _I_ were him, I’d like to shop in peace without strange people bombarding me with awkward questions.”

Narcissa entered the shop with a few bags in hand. “Ready, dears?”

“Mother, we met Harry Potter,” Draco said.

Narcissa gasped. “Really? Where is he?”

“In the dressing room.” He smiled. “May we invite him to join us? He isn’t with a proper guardian, just that disgusting grounds keeper.”

Lucius stepped inside, his father’s walking stick in hand. Sylvia noticed that he had become more reserved since Abraxas’ passing, and when he spoke, his tone was low, almost grave.

“Ah, that explains why that bumbling oaf is here.” Lucius sneered. “I’m sure you’ll have another chance to get acquainted with Potter, Draco, for now, we must leave. We have a schedule to keep.”

Draco sighed. “Yes, Father.”

The four of them left  _Madam Malkin's_ and headed toward  _Ollivanders Wand Shop_ . When they stepped inside, the place was much quieter than the other ones. It smelled of wood and parchment, and beyond the desk were shelves upon shelves of boxes.

“If it isn’t the Malfoy family.” An elderly man appeared at the desk and greeted them with a bright smile. “Welcome back, Lucius. Narcissa. Why it seems like only yesterday when you two received your first wands.”

“Yes, Mr. Ollivander. Time certainly flies,” Lucius said.

“Now we’re here for our son, Draco, and little Sylvia.” Narcissa ushered them forward.

Sylvia saw Ollivander’s keen eyes glance her over, and he met her gaze before nodding.

“Fourteen inches, Alder, and Unicorn Hair, for your mother, and for your father, thirteen and a quarter inches, Blackthorn, and Dragon Heartstring.” He stepped out from behind the desk and approached her. “The former suited for a gentle soul, and the latter, a warrior. I have a feeling, Ms. Hexington, that you’ll be an interesting case like Mr. Potter.”

“So Potter  _is_ in Diagon Alley.” Draco looked at Sylvia. “I told you.”

_He must be._ Sylvia gasped.  _I can’t believe I finally met Harry Potter, and I made a complete fool of myself._

Ollivander returned to the desk. “Now, who would like to go first?”

Sylvia tried to beat Draco to the desk, but it was harder to run in her dress.

“Very well, young Mr. Malfoy. Let’s have a look at your arm.” Ollivander took Draco’s right arm and measured up to his elbow. “Ten inches should suite you. Your father and mother both favored Elm, so let’s see which core suits you best.”

Ollivander walked over to the shelves and retrieved two boxes. He opened the first and presented the wand to Draco.

“Ten inches, Elm, Dragon Heartstring,” he said.

Draco waved the wand, but it charged with static, making his slicked-back hair stand on end. Sylvia covered her mouth, stifling her giggles, and he glared at her.

“No, that won’t do.” Ollivander presented Draco with the second wand. “Ten inches, Elm, and Unicorn Hair.”

This time when Draco tried the wand, it responded and caused the nearby table to crack in half.

“Oh my. It appears the Unicorn Hair favors you, but the Elm doesn’t. Hmm.” Ollivander examined Draco while rubbing his chin. “I think I know what’ll do.”

Ollivander returned the other two wands to the shelves before retrieving a third.

“Ten inches, Hawthorn, Unicorn Hair,” he said.

When Draco took hold of this wand, he smiled as though he knew this was the one. He waved the wand at the box in front of him, and it levitated for a few moments before falling back down.

“I believe we have a winner, young Mr. Malfoy.” Ollivander smiled. “And now for you, Ms. Hexington. Your arm please.”

Sylvia held out her right arm and waited while Ollivander measured it.

“Eleven and three quarter inches.” Ollivander released her arm. “Did you know that wand woods are a reflection of the wielder’s personality?”

She shook her head.

“Well, it’s true.” He gestured to Draco. “Take young Mr. Malfoy here. Hawthorn prefers a wielder of a complex nature.”

“Complex?” Draco said.

“Yes, you have very calculating expressions for someone your age.” Ollivander returned his attention to Sylvia. “As for you, Ms. Hexington, I’m tempted to try Alder or Blackthorn, but given what I know of your and your family, I believe a different type will be more suitable.”

Ollivander retrieved two boxes from the shelves and presented the first one to Sylvia.

“Eleven and three-quarter inches, Ebony, and Unicorn Hair,” he said.

Sylvia took the wand and felt it try to respond to her magic, but something was off. She glanced around the shop and spotted a vase full of flowers.

She pointed the wand at the vase. “ _Water, come to me!_ ”

Nothing happened.

She waved it. “ _Water, come to me!_ ”

Sylvia tried over and over, but the wand was unresponsive.

“Here. Let’s try this one with Dragon Heartstring,” Ollivander said.

When Sylvia pointed the second wand at the vase, it exploded and shattered into tiny shards. The water and flowers scattered everywhere, and Sylvia quickly placed the wand back on the desk.

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s all right, child. An easy fix.” Taking out his own wand, Ollivander reverted the vase back to normal and mended the table Draco had cracked. “It seems the cores are not accepting you, Ms. Hexington. Something about your magic isn’t channeling properly through them.”

Narcissa stepped forward. “Well, Sylvia’s abilities are a bit special. Sylvia, why don’t you show Mr. Ollivander the trick you’ve shown us?”

“Yes, Mrs. Malfoy.” Sylvia looked at the vase again. “ _Water, come to me!_ ”

The water floated from the vase and over to her. She allowed it to hover in front of her face for a few seconds before ordering it to return to the vase. Ollivander watched her with studious eyes and rubbed his chin.

“Curious. Very curious. I figured Ebony would be suitable, for it favors individuals brave enough to remain true to themselves in the face of adversity.” He frowned. “But it appears you require a more foreign core. Just a moment.”

Ollivander disappeared into the back room, and he was gone for a while before returning with a very dusty box.

“This is from my father’s collection. Although I’ve evolved from the materials he used, he put such hard work into his craftsmanship that I haven’t the heart to get rid of them.” He looked at the wand with dewy-eyes. “Eleven and three quarter inches, Ebony, Kelpie Hair.”

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. “What’s a Kelpie?”

“A shape-shifting water-demon. Since you have such a connection to the element of water, this core should better respond to you,” Ollivander said.

Taking the wand into her hand, she felt a tingling sensation that soon became warm. Unlike the previous wands, she could sense her magic channel through the core, and like Draco, she smiled, knowing the wand had chosen her.

Sylvia turned her attention to the vase for a final time. “ _Water, come to me!_ ”

The water obeyed and floated over to her without hesitation. It streamed around her wand, drawn to the magnetic pull of the core.

“It worked! It worked!” Sylvia laughed. “ _Now, return to the vase!_ ”

However, when Sylvia waved the wand forward, the water jerked backward followed by a loud splash and a high-pitched yelp. Turning around, she saw that the water had struck Draco in the face, and he glared at her, his hair and clothes soaked.

“Sylvia!” He tried to dry himself with his sleeve.

“Oops. Sorry, Draco.” She gave an uneasy laugh and looked at Ollivander. “I’ll take it.”

Sylvia and Draco waited with Narcissa by the door while Lucius paid for their wands. She looked down at her bag, her heart swelling with pride.

_I’m finally a true witch._ She closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek. _I wish my step-parents were here to see this._


	9. Sorted

The Malfoys made their way through the crowds in Kings Cross Station toward Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Lucius and Narcissa eyed the muggles around them with disdain while Draco and Sylvia followed with their carts of luggage.

Sylvia smiled. _Today’s the day. I’m going to go to Hogwarts and become the best witch I can be._

Lucius and Narcissa stopped at the third pillar in between platforms nine and ten.

“Why are we stopping?” Sylvia raised her eyebrow. “We can’t be there yet.”

“But we are.” Narcissa stepped aside. “In order to reach the platform, you must walk straight at this wall. Draco, you first.”

Sylvia watched Draco position himself in front of the pillar before rushing toward it. Just as it looked like he was about to crash, he phased right through it. Her eyes widened, and she felt Narcissa usher her forward.

“Your turn, Sylvia. We’ll be right behind you,” Narcissa said.

Sylvia looked at the pillar and holding her breath, she raced as fast as she could toward it. Like Draco, instead of colliding with the wall, she went right through. She saw him waiting on the other side, and not too long after, Lucius and Narcissa joined them. The platform was filled with other students and their parents, and waiting on the tracks was the Hogwarts Express.

Narcissa hugged Draco and kissed his forehead. “Have a good time at school, dearie. Be sure to write us after you and Sylvia get settled. We’ll see you during the Christmas Holiday.”

“Yes, Mother,” Draco said.

Lucius placed a hand on his shoulder. “Do well at Hogwarts, son. I know you’ll make us proud.”

Sylvia saw Lucius lean down and whisper something to Draco, who quickly nodded and smiled.

“I will, Father,” he said.

Sylvia sighed. The sight of Draco bidding farewell to his parents only made her heart ache. She should’ve been on the platform with her parents, and either set would’ve been fine. While she didn’t know her real parents, she believed they would’ve have been thrilled to send her off to school, and even though her step-parents didn’t belong in this world, this is where they should’ve said their teary goodbyes.

“Are you okay, Sylvia?” Narcissa said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She lowered her head. “I wish my parents were here.”

Narcissa furrowed her brow and knelt down. “Oh, Sylvia. I promise they would’ve been very proud of you. Now, I want you to focus on your studies, and I’m sure you’ll make some new friends.”

“Yes, Mrs. Malfoy.” Sylvia hugged her. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” Narcissa returned her embrace before standing.

Sylvia moved to hug Lucius goodbye, but he didn’t reciprocate the gesture. She felt his hand in the back of her head, and he looked down at her with a warm yet stern gaze.

“Behave yourself, Sylvia, and stay close to Draco,” he said.

She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy.”

“Now, hurry along, you two. It’s almost time.” Narcissa guided Sylvia and Draco toward the train.

The two of them boarded the train and started searching for a compartment. The aisles were already filled with other students loading their luggage and reconnecting with friends.

“Malfoy?”

Sylvia and Draco turned around to see Crabbe and Goyle.

“Crabbe. Goyle.” Draco nodded to them. “Nice to see you made it.”

“What are we gonna do now, Malfoy?” Crabbe tugged at the collar of his shirt.

“Heard the train ride is gonna take all day,” Goyle said.

“Honestly, if I weren’t around to lead you two, you’d get yourselves lost in a ditch somewhere.” Draco rolled his eyes. “Let’s find a compartment first.”

Sylvia pointed to a compartment on the left. “This one’s empty.”

The boys went inside, but when Sylvia didn’t follow, Draco turned around.

“Are you joining us?” he said.

“In a minute.” She looked at her luggage. “I’m going to change into my uniform first, and then I’ll meet up with you.”

He nodded, and Sylvia continued down the aisle in search of the bathroom. She saw one of the older students, and once she got a better look, it was the same teen boy she had seen in Madam Malkin's.

“Excuse me?” she said.

The boy turned away from his friends and looked at her with a smile. “First year?”

She nodded. “Yes. Do you know where the bathroom is?”

“It’s two cars down and to the right,” he said.

“Thank you very much.” She gave a quick curtsy before continuing on her way.

Reaching the appropriate car, Sylvia found an empty bathroom and went inside. The train’s whistle blew, and she had to steady herself against the door while it jolted itself into motion. Once she found her balance, she stood in front of the small mirror and changed into her uniform.

It was about thirty minutes before she was almost finished, and she neatly packed her dress into her suitcase. Securing her black robe over her uniform, she began she put on her tie. It was a challenge, even though Narcissa had shown her how to do it a dozen times, but Sylvia managed and examined the insignias embroidered into the tie.

The first was, what she assumed, a badger-mole. The animal’s symbolic colors were yellow and black, and it stood calmly upon the rocky earth surrounding it. The next was a bird, and recalling the names of the houses, she deduced it was a raven. Adorned with colors of blue and bronze, it flew spiritedly through swirls of air.

The third resembled some kind of feline, and judging by the head, she guessed it could be a lion. With colors of red and gold, it stood boldly amongst bursts of flames. The final one, which Sylvia knew had to be Slytherin’s symbol, was a snake, and graced with colors of green and silver, it slithered mysteriously in flow with streams of water.

_Like the Four Nations._ Sylvia smiled.  _And Slytherin’s element is water? I wonder…._

Smoothing her tie down, she glanced herself over in the mirror to make sure everything was in place, and looking at her hair, she frowned.

“Mrs. Malfoy said to make a good impression, and I will.” Reaching into her suitcase, she pulled out her Water Tribe comb, beads, and hairpiece. “ _My_ way.”

Sylvia took the ribbon out of her hair, letting it fall down, and combed the ringlets out. Singling out her loopies, she clipped them with the beads, and taking a thick chunk of the side of her hair, started braiding.

Doing the same on the other side, she took both braided strands and wrapped them into bun over the rest of hair, which remained down. She kept the bun in place using the pin from her hairpiece, and she was about to tie her loopies back, but paused.

_Hmm._ She examined the way the loopies hung down in curls.  _It kind of looks better this way._

Satisfied, Sylvia returned to the compartment. When she slid the door open, Draco looked up.

“Took you long enough.” He glanced her over with a raised eyebrow. “What did you do to your hair?”

“I thought this was more me.” Sylvia smiled. “You like it?”

He scrunched his nose and shrugged. “It’s alright, I suppose. Goyle, put Sylvia’s suitcase away.”

Obeying, Goyle took her suitcase and placed it on the racks overhead. Sylvia took a seat beside Draco and stared out of the window. House after house sped by while the train passed through various neighborhoods.

“So, what’s your opinion on Potter, Sylvia?” Draco said.

“Huh?” She looked at him. “He seemed nice. Why?”

He smirked. “Since he’s going to be joining us this year, I figured he’d make a good addition to our group. After defeating the Dark Lord, he must be really powerful.”

“He certainly didn’t look it.” She folded her arms. “Now that I think about it, he was so small, almost frail. I can’t imagine what he’s been through.”

“What’s with the sympathy?” He snorted. “Potter is famous. The whole Magical World has been enthralled with him for years. I doubt his life has been that miserable.”

“Yeah, but he’s famous for stopping a war. That kind of popularity is different.” She sighed. “Or so I was told.”

He leaned back with his arms behind his head. “Either way, Potter’s fame and influence will prove useful.”

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle continued their conversation while Sylvia returned her attention to the window. They were entering the countryside, but after counting the fiftieth tree, she dozed off.

….

Night fell when the Hogwarts Express reached its destination. Sylvia, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle retrieved their things and exited the train. The older students took their luggage and directed them to the burly gamekeeper, who was beckoning all of the first years to him. Once everyone was present, he led the first years to a bunch of row boats at the shore of the lake.

“Only four to a boat,” the gamekeeper said.

“Here.” Draco pointed to the closest one. “Come on, Sylvia.”

Sylvia climbed into the boat and sat beside Draco while Crabbe and Goyle sat behind them. The boats set off, and gasps filled the air once Hogwarts came into view. It was a magnificent castle, illuminated by the warm glow of the torches inside of it.

“Wow.” Sylvia smiled.  _It does look magical. That’s for sure._

When the boats reached the dock, the first year students entered the castle and walked up the stairs toward the Great Hall. Waiting at the top of the stairs, was a middle-age woman dressed in green robes and a large, black hat.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She looked at them with a firm gaze. "I am Professor McGonagall. Before you join your classmates, you must first be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and  _Slytherin_ ."

Sylvia saw McGonagall's gaze drift toward her and the boys when she listed the last house. The professor's tone sounded very disapproving of that house and anyone placed into it.

“In this school, your house is your family. At the end of the year, we award the house cup. Triumphs will earn you points, and rule breaking will lose you points. Now, wait here. I’ll retrieve you once we are ready.” McGonagall entered the Great Hall.

“I hope this sorting thing isn’t scary.” Sylvia looked at Draco, but he was too distracted by something, or rather,  _someone_ .

“Well, well, if it isn’t Harry Potter.” Draco walked over to Harry, who was standing at the head of the group.

The other students murmured at the mention of Harry’s name while Sylvia felt her face heat up.

“I don’t believe we properly introduced ourselves before.” Draco gestured behind himself. “This is Crabbe, Goyle, and I’m sure you remember Sylvia?”

Sylvia locked eyes with Harry before dropping her gaze to the floor. “N-nice to see you again.”

Draco smirked. “And I’m Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.”

The redhead boy standing beside Harry snickered, making Draco glare at him.

“Something you find amusing, Weasley?” Draco laughed at the boy’s wide eyes. “Yeah, it’s not hard to recognize your kind. Red hair, hand-me-down robe, and your parents have more kids than they can afford.”

The Weasley boy narrowed his eyes, but it was clear from his flustered face that he was embarrassed.

"You should choose your friends carefully, Potter.” Draco returned his attention to Harry. “Not all magical families are equal, and you don't want to be associated with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand for Harry to take, but Sylvia noticed Harry shift his gaze between her and Draco before shaking his head.

“I won’t need any help, thanks,” Harry said.

“Draco.” Sylvia pointed over his shoulder.

McGonagall had returned and was giving Draco a stern look. Realizing she was there, he returned to his spot.

“Follow me,” McGonagall said.

She led the first years into the Great Hall. The other students were already seated at four tables, and the professors were lined up in the front with the Headmaster in the center. Looking up, Sylvia saw candles floating above the tables, and the ceiling resembled the night sky. The first years were gathered before the school, and resting on a stool in front of them was an old hat.

McGonagall stood by the stool and gestured to the staff table. "Before we begin, Headmaster Dumbledore would like to say a few words.”

Sylvia looked at Dumbledore while he stood. He was the oldest wizard there. He had long, white hair, his robes were bright gold and red, and he was wearing half-moon shaped specs. However, he didn't look as stern as McGonagall and had a very kind and warm aura about him.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Let the first years note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students.” Dumbledore gestured toward the back of the hall. “Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to those of you who do not wish to die a most painful death."

Sylvia shuddered.  _I wonder what's up there to make that part of the school so dangerous?_

McGonagall held up a list in one hand and the old hat in the other. “When I call your name, you will come up here, and I shall place the sorting hat on your head.”

“A dusty, old hat,” Draco muttered while scoffing. “That’s it?”

“Yeah, it is a little anti-climatic,” Sylvia said.

“Abbott, Hannah!” McGonagall said.

A small girl approached the stool, and the hat was placed upon her head. There was silence for a moment before the hat formed a mouth and shouted, “Hufflepuff!”

Upon being sorted, the badger-mole insignia appeared on Abbott’s robes, and her tie turned black and yellow. The Hufflepuff table cheered while the girl joined them, and McGonagall continued down the list.

“Bones, Susan!”

“Hufflepuff!”

“Boot, Terry!”

“Ravenclaw!”

“Brown, Lavender!”

“Gryffindor!”

“Bulstrode, Millicent!”

A slightly pudgy girl with curly, dirty blonde hair sat on the stool. She cringed when the hat was placed on her head, her green eyes glistening with worry.

“Slytherin!”

The girl sighed with relief and rushed to join the cheering Slytherins on the far side of the room.

“Corner, Michael!”

“Ravenclaw!”

“Crabbe, Vincent!”

Draco nodded to Crabbe, who pushed the other first years out of his way, and sat on the stool. It was only a few minutes before the hat shouted, “Slytherin!”

“Davis, Tracy!”

A girl, whose dark brown hair was tied into pigtails, approached the stool. Her brown eyes were calm, and she was unnerved when the hat was placed on her head.

“Slytherin!”

“Finch-Fletchely, Justin!”

“Hufflepuff!”

“Finnigan, Seamus!”

“Gryffindor!”

“Goldstein, Anthony!”

“Ravenclaw!”

“Goyle, Gregory!”

Goyle also shoved his way past the other students, and sat on the stool, looking as dumbfounded as his counterpart.

“Slytherin!”

“Granger, Hermione!”

A girl with bushy, brown hair stepped forward. She was muttering to herself and sat on the stool with an anxious expression.

“Gryffindor!”

“Greengrass, Daphne!”

A girl with long, black hair and freckles sat on the stool.

“Slytherin!”

“Hexington, Sylvia!”

A shiver ran down Sylvia’s spine.  _Oh no, this is it._

Draco placed a hand on her shoulder. “Go on, you’ll be fine.”

She nodded and made her way over to the stool. Sitting down, she waited for McGonagall to place the hat on her head, and gasped when it came to life.

" _Ah, a difficult one I see,”_ the sorting hat’s voice echoed in her mind.

Sylvia furrowed her brow.  _What do you mean?_

" _Hmm,_ _you are very loyal to loved ones and have a sense of fairness, but–”_ The sorting hat frowned. _“No, no, Hufflepuff won't do.”_

She sighed with relief. Draco and his parents weren’t very fond of that house, so that’s the last place she wanted to be.

_“You're smart, quite the fast learner, but you crave knowledge to better yourself or to get an edge on others. Ravenclaws love learning for its own sake.”_ The sorting hat shook from side to side.  _“Yes, definitely out of the question.”_

Her heart sank a little, for a part of her had hoped to be sorted into her mother’s house.  _Aside from appearance, I guess I don’t take after her very much._

_“You have it in you to be brave, but you prefer to be cautious, and there's something else–”_ It felt like the hat was digging into her brain. _“Very interesting…_ .”

She frowned.  _What's interesting?_

" _You yearn for a sense of belonging, a place to call home, and a chance to discover who you are._ _There's only one house that will point you in the right direction._ " The hat looked out toward the crowd. "Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table cheered, and Sylvia saw Draco applauding her. Smiling, she walked over to the table and sat beside the other first year girls.

“Longbottom, Neville!”

A timid, dark-haired boy shuffled to the stool, and he pleaded with the hat before it shouted, “Hufflepuff!”

“Macmillan, Ernie!”

“Hufflepuff!”

“Malfoy, Draco!”

With a smirk, Draco strode up to the stool, and the hat barely touched his head before shouting, “Slytherin!”

Sylvia applauded while Draco joined her and the others at the table. He sat across from her next to Crabbe and Goyle.

“That was fast,” Sylvia said.

He chuckled. “Not surprising, Slytherin’s in my blood.”

“Nott, Theodore!”

Sylvia looked up and saw the boy she had met during Draco’s birthday party. It was only a few moments before the hat called, “Slytherin!”

Theodore made his way over to the table and sat beside the boys. He glanced at Sylvia with a smile.

“Nice to see you again, Sylvia,” he said.

She nodded. “You too, Theodore.”

“Parkinson, Pansy!”

The rude girl from Madam Malkin's stepped up and sat on the stool with a sneer on her face.

“Slytherin!”

With a huff, Pansy joined the girls, and noticing Sylvia, glared at her.

_Great. I forgot about her._ Sylvia sighed.

“Parvati, Padma!”

“Ravenclaw!”

“Parvati, Patil”

“Gryffindor!”

“Potter, Harry!”

The whole hall fell silent while everyone waited on baited breath for the sorting hat’s decision on the famous Boy Who Lived. The hat took a long time before shouting….

“Gryffindor!”

The entire table stood and roared with cheers while Harry joined them.

Draco snorted. “Figures.”

_Well, he is a hero._ Sylvia rested her head against her hand.  _It makes sense for him to be in the brave house._

“Thomas, Dean!”

“Gryffindor!”

“Weasley, Ron!”

The redhead boy from earlier stepped up to the stool, and the hat quickly placed him in Gryffindor where he joined his other siblings.

“Zabini, Blaise!”

A dark skinned boy with sharp features approached the stool and was placed into Slytherin. He sat at the end of the table, away from everyone else, and with the sorting finished, the feast began.

Sylvia glanced down at the green and silver that now adorned her robes.  _I’m officially a Hogwarts student._


	10. Impressions

“So, you’re Hexington, right?”

Sylvia looked up and saw the girl with pig-tails standing beside her bed. “Yes, and you’re… Davis?”

She nodded. “But you may call me Tracy.”

“I’m Daphne,” the girl with freckles walked over to them.

“Millicent.” The dirty blonde girl nodded to them from across the room.

“It’s Sylvia.” She finished packing her textbooks and slung her rucksack over her shoulder. “Pleasure to meet all of you.”

“Would you like to sit with us at breakfast, Sylvia?” Tracy said.

Sylvia shook her head. “I would, but I already agreed to meet with Draco.”

“So what Pansy said was true?” Daphne’s eyes widened. “You really were adopted by the Malfoys? Talk about striking lucky.”

“I suppose.” Sylvia shrugged. “Although, I’m a ward, not adopted.”

Millicent laughed. “Either way, you’re still fortunate enough to be so close to their family. Why, if you play your hand right, you’ll have Malfoy wrapped around your finger in a few years.”

“Scandalous.” Tracy gasped, her hands clamping to her face. “Don’t let Parkinson hear that. You know how she feels about him.”

“Hold on. I have no interest in Draco, and I can confidently say he feels the same.” Sylvia blushed. “We just live together, is all.”

“And why wouldn’t you take advantage of such a grand opportunity? Such a marriage would elevate any girl’s social standing, especially an orphan like you,” Millicent said.

Sylvia furrowed her brow. “Not to offend, but don’t you believe it’s a little early to think about marriage?”

“Not early enough.” Daphne folded her arms. “I’m sure you’ve been given the same lectures? We’re supposed to focus on our studies and find a proper suitor by graduation. Otherwise, our parents will arrange one for us.”

“Yes.” Sylvia sighed. _Doesn’t mean I like it._

Millicent smiled. “Then forget about Parkinson and seize the moment while it lasts. Malfoy is all yours.”

“Uh, I’ll think about it.” Sylvia headed for the door, but right as her hand touched the knob, the door slammed open.

She fell back, her books and supplies scattering out of her rucksack and onto the floor. On the other side was Pansy, who had returned from the bathroom, and was clutching a towel around herself.

She sneered at Sylvia. “Watch where you’re going, blood-traitor.”

“How rude.” Tracy gathered Sylvia’s books before helping her stand. “What’s got your wand in a knot, Parkinson?”

“Nothing that concerns you, half-blood.” Pansy narrowed her eyes and snorted. “Though it doesn’t surprise me that you two have become well acquainted. Filth always attracts filth.”

Sylvia looked at Tracy. “You’re a half-blood?”

“Yes. My mother was a pure-blood, but my father was only half. Unfortunately, that half was on the wrong side, thus my muggle surname.” Tracy hung her head and retreated back to her bed. “Forgive me, Parkinson. I forgot my place.”

“I suggest you don’t make it a habit.” Pansy huffed before returning her attention to Sylvia. “It would be in your best interests to remember your station as well, Hexington. The Malfoys may have taken you in, but you’ll always be an orphan of blood-traitors.”

“Who died and made you the queen?” Sylvia glared at her. “I don’t care what you think of me.”

“Is that so? Tell me, Hexington, is what my father read in the Prophet true? Were you really raised by muggles?” Pansy said.

Daphne and Millicent gasped.

Pansy laughed. “How many baths did poor Mrs. Malfoy have to give to rid you of the horrid stench?”

“About five, but unfortunately, there aren’t enough baths in the world to scrub off that ugly face of yours.” Sylvia grinned. “Your poor mum, getting a rutting pig-mule for a daughter.”

The other girls remained silent while Pansy’s face flushed bright red, but Sylvia pushed past her before anyone could say a word and headed downstairs.

The Slytherin common room was located in the dungeons, and a large window comprised the far wall, giving the students an enchanting view of the Black Lake. The room glowed with a greenish tint from the flames of the fireplace, and there were various tables and couches to sit on.

Walking over to the bulletin board, Sylvia read the note left by their Head of House.  _Professor Snape is going to give us our time-tables during breakfast. Didn’t Mr. Malfoy say something about being friends with him? I hope he’s nice._

"There you are."

Turning around, Sylvia saw Draco with Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him.  _I swear, he treats them more like bodyguards than friends._

“Good morning, Sylvia.” Draco stood beside her. “I trust your first night was fair?”

“Good morning, Draco.” She sighed. “It was predictable. I knew Parkinson was going to give me trouble.”

He nodded and walked toward the trap door. “Don’t worry about her. I’ll set her straight.”

Sylvia followed him. “I’m sure I can handle her.”

“Yes, but it isn’t proper behavior of your pedigree. Let Parkinson act boorish if she likes, but don’t stoop to her level.” He met her gaze. “My father told me to watch over you while we’re at school, and I don’t intend to disobey him.”

“Alright,” she said.

They made their way out of the dungeons and toward the grand staircase. Their path hadn’t opened yet, so while they waited, Sylvia stared at the moving paintings that covered the walls.

She groaned. “I don’t think I’ll get used to this.”

“We’ll be fine.” Draco pointed to the staircase next to them. “This way.”

Reaching the Great Hall, Sylvia saw only a handful of students, and she sat with the boys at the Slytherin table. She glanced across the room at the Gryffindor table and noticed Harry wasn’t there. A shadow cast over Sylvia, and she looked up to see one of the professors. He was dressed in black robes, and his dark, greasy hair hung loosely to his ears.

“Good morning, Professor Snape,” Draco said.

“Go–good morning.” Sylvia lowered her gaze.

“Welcome to Hogwarts. I am certain your parents are happy with the results of your sorting, Mr. Malfoy.” Snape handed each of them a time-table. “As your Head of House, I am not only your teacher, but your advisor. Any concerns or trouble you may have shall be reported directly to me.”

“Yes, Professor Snape,” they replied.

He nodded. “I will see you in class.”

Once Snape was gone, Sylvia looked at her time-table. “We have Potions first.”

“Should be simple enough.” Draco took a bite of toast.

“Hopefully. I don’t even know how to cook.” She gathered some fruit onto her plate.

Pansy, Daphne, Millicent, and Tracy entered the Great Hall and found a spot a few seats down. Sylvia noticed Pansy glare at her the whole time, but after a few minutes, Pansy’s face went pale. She stared wide eyed at something above Sylvia before cowering behind the other girls.

Sylvia turned to see that Draco had stood, his eyes narrowed in Pansy’s direction. “Thanks.”

He sat back down. “Not a problem.”

“She fancies you, you know.” She took a bite from her apple. “Parkinson.”

Draco scrunched his nose a little but shrugged. “I’m a Malfoy. I’m sure they all do.”

“Yes, I got that impression too.” She shook her head.  _Why should we have to worry about things like this? Isn’t starting school stressful enough?_

“If you’re propositioned at all, send them to me,” he said.

She took a sip of water. “I doubt anyone’s taken an interest in me.”

“You never know. Separate from your association with me, you’re an heiress sitting on top of your family’s estate.” Draco smiled. “That’s bound to attract attention, and you’ll need me to assure no one questionable leads you astray.”

Sylvia continued eating. The marrying age throughout the Elemental World was sixteen, and her step-parents had wed the second they were old enough. However, Aang and Katara believed in marrying for love, not status or through arrangements.

_But things are different here, and if the Malfoys want me to find a suitor, I guess I’ll have to._ She glanced at Draco from the corner of her eye.  _I suppose I could take Bulstrode’s advice, but I don’t see Draco that way._

While blond hair didn’t exist in the Elemental World and gray eyes were a trait of the Air Nomads, Sylvia wasn’t impressed with Draco’s appearance. It also didn’t help that he had a tendency to be jerk, and even though he softened up to her quite a bit, it was still unappealing when the nastier side of his personality leaked out.

A few minutes later, Sylvia saw Harry and his Weasley friend shuffle into the Great Hall. They looked groggy from waking up so early, and they slumped into their seats at the Gryffindor table. The Weasley boy started piling food onto his plate while they spoke to McGonagall about their time-tables.

Sylvia caught Harry’s gaze, and with a smile, she waved at him. He furrowed his brow, but still gave her a slight wave. However, the Weasley boy took notice, and he whispered something to Harry before giving her a death glare.

“What are you doing?” Draco said.

She lowered her hand. “I wanted to say good morning to Harry, but it didn’t work out. I don’t think Weasley likes me very much.”

“Don’t waste your time with them.” Draco scoffed. “The Weasleys are blood-traitors, and it’s clear which side Potter’s on.”

“Speaking of which, I thought we don’t associate with half-bloods, but Davis and Potter are,” Sylvia said.

“There are some exceptions due to status or family lineage, but they’re still below our station.” Draco stood. “Come on. According to my map, the Potions classroom is in the dungeons. We can make a stop in the common room along the way.”

….

The first years headed into the dungeons for Potions. The classroom was fairly dark, and there were shelves alongside the walls with various potions. Sylvia followed Draco to the front row and sat down. The other students started filing in, and not too long after, Snape entered and strode to the front of the classroom, his robe billowing behind him.

With a sharp turn, he faced the students with a stern expression. “Now, I don’t suspect that those of you who favor powerful incantations will appreciate the subtlety of potion making, but for those select few–”

Sylvia saw Snape glance in the Slytherins’ direction before continuing his speech, and Draco hung off of his every word.

She rested her cheek against her hand.  _Brewing cures and poisons sounds fun and all, but I want something more combative._

She thought of the Elemental World. Bending was used to make tasks easier, but the true beauty was the martial art side of it. The physical prowess, the fluid motions, and the way a bender became spiritually one with their element. She hoped she could achieve something similar with her magic.

"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts with abilities so formidable that you see fit to not pay attention,” Snape’s cold voice echoed throughout the room.

A small yelp escaped Sylvia, believing she had been caught daydreaming, but when she looked up, she saw that Snape had zeroed in on Harry.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity,” he said.

Snape proceeded to verbally rip Harry to shreds in front of everyone, and Sylvia couldn’t help but feel sorry for the boy. Draco and the other Slytherins, however, laughed at Harry’s failure to answer the professor’s questions.

“It appears fame isn’t everything, is it, Mr. Potter?” Snape gave Harry a smug sneer. “Ten points from Gryffindor.”

The Gryffindors groaned in protest, but Snape quickly silenced them before returning to the front of the classroom. "Today, you will start with a very simple potion. A cure for boils. Turn to page five of your textbooks."

Sylvia opened her textbook and glanced over the instructions.  _I really should’ve paid more attention to my step-mum’s cooking lessons._

Snape gave a brief lecture on the ingredients they were going to use and their properties while everyone took notes.

"The ingredients you require are on the shelves to the right.” Snape sat at his desk. “Everyone will work in pairs, and you will have until the end of class to finish. You may begin."

"Let's see–” Sylvia looked at the ingredients list. “Six snake fangs, four horned slugs, and two porcupine quills. Draco, I’ll get the ingredients while you get the cauldrons ready.”

He nodded. "Alright."

Getting a small tray, Sylvia made her way over to the shelves. She tried to take an equal amount of everything for Draco and herself, but the slugs were so slimy that she couldn’t pick them up without crushing them.

"Here."

Draco reached into the huge jar and pulled out four slugs for her, and then another four for himself.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Not a problem.” He set the slugs on the tray. “Let’s get to work.”

They returned to their seats, and Sylvia retrieved a bowl and masher for both of them.

Draco read the first instruction. "It says to crush the snake fangs into a fine powder."

With a careful hand, Sylvia placed the fangs in the bowl, and tried to grind them with the masher. Two of the fangs snapped in half while the others didn’t budge. She roughly pounded the masher into the bowl until Draco grasped her wrist.

“Maybe I should do it.” He chuckled. “The instructions said to crush the  _fangs,_ not the bowl.”

She rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha."

They continued to work on the potion, and before they knew it, it was the end of class.

Draco turned the burner off on his cauldron. “Next, it says stir five times clockwise.”

Sylvia also turned hers off, but when she picked up her stirring stick, she paused. “Which direction is clockwise, again?"

Shaking his head, Draco made a circular motion in the right direction with his hand, and she stirred her potion the correct number of times.

She glanced at her textbook and frowned. “It says it’s supposed to turn blue, but mine looks more greenish-blue. What about yours?”

He glanced at his. “Light blue.”

A scream erupted from the back of the classroom, making everyone turn around. It was the timid Hufflepuff boy. He cowered while his melting cauldron splashed its contents all over him, and boils broke out all over his body.

“Mr. Longbottom, you were supposed take the cauldron off the fire first!" Snape rushed over and waved his wand, cleaning the mess. “Mr. Macmillian, escort Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing, and ten points from Hufflepuff.”

Sylvia nudged Draco while he and the other Slytherins laughed. “It’s not funny.”

….

Next on the time-table was Charms, and after going up several flights of stairs, the first years reached the classroom completely out of breath. The Slytherins sat on one side of the room, the Gryffindors sat across from them, and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs scattered wherever. Sylvia and Harry made eye contact, but she glanced away and turned her attention to her textbook.

A short man stood before the class. "Good morning, First Years. I am Professor Flitwick, and welcome to Charms."

"Can you believe they let a half-breed goblin teach this class?" Draco whispered to Crabbe and Goyle, who nodded and frowned.

Sylvia nudged him again and muttered, “Don’t be rude.”

He narrowed his eyes but remained silent.

"Today we are not learning any spells, for your first lesson is on proper form." Flitwick smiled. "This is very important if you want to perform any incantation correctly. Now, everyone, bring out your wands, and you’re going to swish and flick. Like so.”

Flitwick demonstrated the motion with his wand, and all of the students copied him. The class practiced for a while before they moved on to study the theory of spells and the history behind them.

….

“This is so frustrating.” Sylvia groaned while she followed Draco to the Great Hall for lunch. “It’s going to be months before we learn any real magic.”

“Have to start somewhere I suppose.” Draco glanced back at her. “What do we have after lunch?”

She looked at her time-table. “History of Magic, Flying Lessons, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Um, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll meet you guys in the Great Hall."

Draco nodded and headed around the corridor with Crabbe and Goyle following behind him. Sylvia wandered into the courtyard and spotted a group of first year Gryffindor boys by the fountain. Getting a closer look, she realized Harry was with them, and her heart skipped a beat.

_Should I go over and say hello? But what would the others do if they saw me with him?_ _Draco was already against it._ She bit her lip. _Then again, a small chat wouldn’t hurt, would it?_

Sylvia made her way over to the boys, and like a pack of lions, they sniffed her out. Their heads instantly swerved in her direction, and they narrowed their eyes, looking ready to pounce.

"What do you want, Slytherin?” the Weasley boy said.

“Forgive me. I did not mean to intrude.” Sylvia curtsied. “It’s nice to see you again, Harry, and to the rest of you, my name is Sylvia Hexington.”

“It’s Ron.” The Weasley boy snorted before gesturing to the two other boys. “That’s Seamus and Dean. And we know who you are. You’re with that prat Malfoy.”

“Yes, about last night–” She twiddled her fingers. “I’d like to apologize on Draco’s behalf. He can be a bit  _forward_ at times, but he’s nice, really.”

Ron shared an amused glance with Harry, Seamus, and Dean. “You clearly don’t know much about the Malfoys because  _nice_ is the last word I’d use.”

_Well, you don’t seem the type that has a high vocabulary._ Sylvia bit her tongue, holding the tempting words at bay. “I think I would have a better idea given that I live with them.”

“Are you his sister?” Harry finally said, startling her. “You two don’t look similar.”

She shook her head. “No, his parents took me in. My real family died in the war.”

He furrowed his brow. “Oh, I… I can relate.”

“Anyway–” Sylvia shuffled her feet and did her best to hide her blush. “I was wondering, Harry, if we could be friends?”

Seamus scoffed. “And why would he want to be friends with a girl?”

“Especially a Slytherin,” Dean said.

She furrowed her brow. “What’s wrong with me being in Slytherin?”

“There’s no witch nor wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.” Ron huffed and walked over to her. “Your kind is not to be trusted, especially since your associated with the Malfoys. They’re nothing but a bunch of snobbish blood-purists, which means you must be one too. So leave already.”

“But I’m….” Flustered, she retreated away from them. “I’m sorry if I upset you and your friends, Harry. I won’t bother you again.”

Sylvia gave a quick curtsy before rushing inside of the castle. Once she was sure she was out of their line of sight, she stopped to catch her breath.

"And that's why you shouldn't mingle with people below your status."

Jumping, she turned and saw Draco behind her. “Did you see everything?”

He nodded. “Last I recall, the loo isn’t outside. I thought I told you to stay away from Potter?”

“I know, but I… I wanted to say hello, is all. I figured I’d have better luck than you did last night.” Her eyes watered. “But that Weasley boy is such a git. He said that I’m bad because I’m in Slytherin and live with your family.”

“Weasley’s one to talk. His family are nothing but embarrassments to our society and traditions.” He folded his arms. “I’ll find a way to deal with him, but until then, heed my words.  _Stay away from them_ .”

“Yes, Draco,” she said.

“Good. Now here, my mother sent us letters and a few treats.” Draco handed her an envelope and a wrapped jar. “I made sure to keep them with me, so Crabbe and Goyle wouldn’t nab them.”

She took the envelope and unwrapped the jar. “Lemon custard tarts, my favorite. Mrs. Malfoy remembered.”

“Come on, let’s return to the hall. We can visit the Owlery this evening.” Draco headed down the corridor.

“Okay.” Sylvia followed him.  _Well, that was a disaster, and that Weasley boy is such an idiot. How could anyone think that all bad people come from one house? That’s like believing everyone from the Fire Nation is evil because the rulers at the time waged a hundred year war._

Granted, the war had scarred the hearts of many, but Aang had taught her that everyone is a human being and should be given a chance. It was this mindset that allowed him to gain an alliance with Fire Lord Zuko and his family, and what allowed the existence of Republic City.

Sylvia recalled what Ron had said about the Malfoys.  _Blood-purists…. Why would that be a bad thing when we live separate from muggles? When muggles have tried to kill us? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to preserve one’s culture._

She thought of Aang, and how her step-father was also dedicated to the survival of his people, his culture. She remembered how desperate he had been to have an air-bending child, and when Tenzin was born, Aang was the happiest she had ever seen him.

_Still, my step-father would never consider some airbenders better than others based on blood status._ Sylvia sat down beside Draco at the Slytherin table. _He even let’s non-benders join his temple as acolytes._

She opened her letter and glanced over the praise Mrs. Malfoy gave her for being sorted into Slytherin _._ Reaching the bottom, she cringed at the last few sentences.

_And remember, Sylvia, Poise, Propriety, and Purity. Always exhibit behavior worthy of your pedigree and keep to your station._

_Love,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

_My station._ Sylvia sighed.  _Harry defeated a powerful, dark wizard as a baby, and yet somehow, he’s beneath me?_


	11. A True Friend

Harry watched Sylvia run inside of the castle before turning his attention to Ron. “Why did you do that? There was no need to be so mean.”

“Like bloody hell there wasn’t.” Ron folded his arms.

He furrowed his brow. “But she seemed nice.”

“Sure she did. Even if she wasn’t with Malfoy, she’s still a Slytherin.” Seamus shook his head. “They’re nothing but trouble.”

“Well, I don't see anything wrong with her.” Harry sighed. “She doesn’t act like Malfoy at all.”

"If you want to make friends with her, fine, but don't be surprised when she stabs you in the back." Ron slung his rucksack over his shoulder. “Let’s head inside. Barely got to eat anything this morning.”

Harry nodded and returned to the castle with his new friends. It was still strange being able to say he had friends, or that he was a wizard learning magic. He was expecting to wake up in his small cupboard under the stairs, and all of this would’ve been a strange dream.

His thoughts went back to Sylvia. She seemed really shy, and Harry was surprised that she apologized for Draco. Her housemate was obviously an arrogant jerk, and yet she spoke of him with kindness. After hearing about Slytherin’s reputation, it was the last house Harry wanted to be sorted into, and the children placed there weren’t people he wanted to be associated with.

“But if she was sorted there–” Harry muttered to himself and glanced at the Slytherin table.

….

After enduring a very boring hour in History of Magic, Sylvia followed Draco outside to the Quidditch Pitch for Flying Lessons. The pitch comprised of a ring-shaped stadium incased by long, tall stands that were decorated with the colors of each house. Three, thin hoops rested on the opposing sides of the ring. Entering the stadium, the first years gathered in the center of the grassy field.

Sylvia looked at the rows of broomsticks and picked one of them up. The long, wooden handle was covered in bumps and scrapes, and the broom part itself looked nothing more than a collection of tattered hay that had been lazily strung together.

She raised an eyebrow. “We’re supposed to fly on _these_?”

“I know. What a bunch of withered, old logs." Draco stood in front of one of the brooms before pointing to the spot on his right. "Here, this one's a bit better."

"Thank you." She set the broom she had back on the grass and took her spot beside Draco.

Sylvia saw Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors standing opposite from them. As expected, Ron was still glaring at her, clearly protective over his best friend. Harry, however, didn’t seem to care and waved. Eyes widening, Sylvia gave a frail wave in return only to be nudged in the side.

“What are you doing?” Draco whispered through gritted teeth.

“Being polite. We were raised with manners, remember?” Sylvia lowered her voice and held up her hand to shield their conversation. “I asked Harry if we could be friends.”

“You can’t,” he said.

“And why not? You wanted to be friends with him too.” She scoffed. “We’re not attached at the hip, you know? Just because he rejected you, doesn’t mean I can’t–”

“This is not negotiable, Sylvia.” Draco narrowed his eyes. “Potter disrespected me, and he clearly prefers the company of filth.”

Sylvia frowned, although it looked more like a sulking pout, and returned to her place in the line. There was no sense in arguing if Draco was going to be so stubborn. She saw him glare at Harry, who also gave him an unpleasant look in return.

The professor stepped out onto the field, her dark blue robes fluttering behind her while her cat-like eyes glossed over each student. "Good afternoon, class. My name is Madam Hooch.”

"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch,” everyone replied.

Hooch nodded. "Welcome to your first flying lesson. I want everyone to stand next to the left side of their broomstick. Good. Next, position your hand over the broom and hold it high at your hip level. Perfect. Now, summon your broom to you by saying  _up_ .”

A chorus of  _ups_ echoed throughout the field. Harry's broom instantly flew into his hand, and Draco's soon followed into his own a second after. 

Sylvia looked down at her broom. "Up."

It didn't budge.

"Up!"

It still remained on the ground.

She glared at her broom. "Up!"

This time it hovered a few inches off of the ground before dropping back down.

_Come on, it can't be this hard._ She groaned. "I said up, you stupid stick!"

The broom jolted into her hand so fast that it jerked her arm upwards and lifted her slightly in the air. She yelped, the handle smacking roughly against her palm. Feeling the ground beneath her feet again, she quickly shifted the broom under her left arm and rubbed her hand.

Draco laughed. “If anyone is in need of this class, it’s you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, shut up."

"Ow!"

Ron’s broom had shot up and smacked him in the face. His hand was now covering his nose, his face as red as his hair. Everyone started laughing, and even Sylvia couldn't help but giggle a bit.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it.” Hooch paced around the students, making sure they were holding their brooms correctly. “And grip it tight. You don't want to slide off the end."

Sylvia mounted her broom and copied how Draco positioned his hands. Hooch approached them and adjusted both of their hands, and it appeared Harry was the only one who had gotten the pose correctly.

Hooch returned to her spot at the head of the rows. "When I blow my whistle, I want you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly, and touch back down. On my whistle. Three, two…. "

_Finally._ Sylvia smiled the second the whistle sounded.

However, her concentration on the lesson was broken when the Hufflepuffs started shouting at the Longbottom boy. Looking up, Sylvia saw that he was flying high in the air and couldn't come down despite Hooch's demands. Having a mind of its own, the broom took Longbottom for a ride on the rooftops, and his robes caught him on one of the statues before he dropped to the ground.

Everyone ran over to him before Hooch instructed them to move. Sylvia walked over to Draco and noticed that he had picked up something from the ground. It was a small, translucent ball.

"What's that?" Sylvia said.

Draco glanced at her, a smirk forming on his face. “Longbottom’s remembrall."

He showed it to the other Slytherins, who started chuckle and giggle.

"Everyone is to keep your feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing.” Hooch walked by the students with Longbottom at her side.

From what Sylvia could see, he must have broken his arm because Hooch was carefully holding it while they walked off the field.

Hooch narrowed her eyes at the class. "Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say Quidditch."

Sylvia leaned against her broom. “Honestly, the first interesting class we have, and we’re stuck standing around.”

Pansy sneered at the Hufflepuffs. "Figures  _they_ would ruin everything." 

Daphne and Millicent nodded while Tracy sighed.

Draco tossed the remembrall up and down in his hand. "Just because the class is cancelled, doesn't mean we still can't have some fun."

Sylvia furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Watch." Draco strode over to the rest of the students and held up the remembrall for all to see. "Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat arse."

Harry glared at Draco and walked over to him. "Give it here, Malfoy."

"No." Draco smirked at him. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find."

Mounting his broom, Draco circled around the students before rising into the air above them. He sat upright, balancing himself perfectly, and tossed the remembrall back and forth in hands.

"How about on the roof!” He laughed.

“Draco, stop it! Madam Hooch will catch you, or worse, you’ll hurt yourself.” Sylvia stepped out from the group. “Besides, that remembrall isn’t yours! You have no right to steal it!”

“No need to be a wet blanket, Sylvia! Clearly, this is useless in Longbottom’s hands, so I’m doing him a favor!” Draco looked down at Harry. “What are you waiting for, Potter? Or are you too scared?”

_Harry's not actually dumb enough to go up there?_ Sylvia glanced in his direction. _Draco is just baiting him. He'll get in trouble._

However, Harry accepted the challenge and quickly mounted his broom. A bushy-haired Gryffindor girl chastised him for it, but he ignored it and soared into the air after Draco. Sylvia could barely hear what the boys shouted at each other, but then she saw Draco throw the remembrall. Harry chased after it at an incredible speed, and with a small flip, he caught it in mid air before it hit the side of one of the castle towers.

Sylvia gasped.  _That was brilliant._

Everyone cheered Harry on except for the Slytherins, and Sylvia noticed that Draco had returned to the ground. He glared at Harry, a scowl on his face.

"Harry Potter!"

Everyone turned to see McGonagall walk out onto the field.

Her stern gaze found Harry amongst the crowd. "Follow me, Mr. Potter.”

Harry looked back at everyone before following her into the castle.

Draco chuckled. “Serves him right."

Sylvia turned around. "Why did you do that?"

Draco looked at her. "Do what?"

"What?" She walked over to him. “You got Harry in trouble on purpose."

"Of course I did. As far as I'm concerned, Potter needs to be taken down a peg." He narrowed his eyes. “Why are you defending him?"

Sylvia walked over to Draco until she was directly in his face. "Because what you did was wrong, that's why."

From the corner of her eye, Sylvia noticed that everyone's attention was on the two of them and felt her nerves stand on end.

Draco rolled his eyes. “And what will you do, Sylvia? Snitch on me to Madam Hooch?”

“Maybe I will.” She folded her arms.

He scoffed. “Like the professors would believe you."

"Everyone saw what you did,” she said.

He sneered at her. “You'd really turn on your house like that?"

Sylvia paused, her gaze locked with Draco's. Whispers echoed around them, but she was too focused on his statement to hear what was being said. One was supposed to be loyal to their house and their housemates as though they were family.

She furrowed her brow. “And what does our house have to do with calling you out for being a bully?”

“I must say, you’re really towing the line today, aren’t you, Sylvia? You’re in Slytherin, and we look out for our own no matter what.” He snorted. “What happens to some daft Hufflepuff or even Potter is not worth wasting your energy over. Now stop giving me trouble, or I’ll write to my parents that you’ve disobeyed.”

Sylvia bit her lip, forbidding her retort from being vocalized and cowered back in line with the other Slytherins, who gave her disapproving looks.

He smirked. "That’s better.”

Pansy let out a piggish snort and stood beside him. "She descends from traitors, Draco. Don't be surprised."

He narrowed his eyes. “This doesn’t concern you, Parkinson.”

“I was only offering advice.” Pansy pouted. “You won’t be happy until she embarrasses you and your whole family.”

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Sylvia looked up and saw Tracy. “What is it?”

“Don’t be discouraged,” Tracy whispered. “It’s just how things are.”

_Is it?_ Sylvia sighed. “I suppose.”

“Why don’t you sit with me in our next class?” Tracy smiled. “I know you’re used to being with Malfoy all of the time, but I’m sure being surrounded by boys is quite boring.”

Sylvia nodded. “Sure, why not.”

When Hooch finally returned, they were out of time for class, and the first years headed back inside for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Sylvia saw Draco waiting, but she nodded toward Tracy and continued on without him.

Tracy giggled. “All things considered, Potter was quite impressive, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. Although, I wish he hadn’t let himself get baited into Draco’s games.” Sylvia shook her head. “It wasn’t worth risking detention over.”

Tracy narrowed her eyes and glanced Sylvia over like she was searching for something. Her gaze stopped at Sylvia’s face, and judging by the wide grin, she must’ve received her answer.”

She lowered her voice. “You fancy Potter, don’t you?”

“What?” Sylvia blushed. “No, of course not.”

“Don’t lie to me, Hexington.” Tracy waved a smug finger in her face. “Why else would you defend him, let alone be concerned about him getting in trouble?”

“I was also concerned about Draco getting hurt or in trouble.” Sylvia rolled her eyes. “You’re speaking nonsense.”

“Am I now?” She raised an eyebrow before returning her attention to the corridor ahead of them. “We’ll see.”

Entering the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Sylvia squinted her eyes. The room was very dark, and only a row of torches along the back wall provided a little light. Sylvia and Tracy sat in the far right corner while the other Slytherins sat around them.

Draco scoffed and dropped his rucksack on the desk in front of them. “Such a rubbish idea for a class. I heard at Durmstrang they actually learn the Dark Arts.”

Crabbe and Goyle nodded.

“But isn’t using that kind of magic dangerous?” Sylvia said.

“All of the magic we use is potentially dangerous.” Theodore sat down behind the girls. “There’s no reason to discriminate one style over the other.”

“Exactly,” Draco said.

Pansy looked at her time-table. “Who’s the professor for this class again?”

“Quirrell,” Zabini said.

“You mean that creepy looking one with the turban?” Millicent shivered. “Splendid.”

Sylvia opened her textbook and started browsing through it. “I just hope we get to learn some real spells instead of taking notes or practicing hand motions.”

Quirrell entered the classroom, his stuttering voice calling everyone’s attention. Sylvia noticed that Harry had returned and was sitting next to Ron. When Quirrell walked past the Gryffindors, Harry clutched his forehead like something had stung him in the face.

_Odd. Maybe he actually did hurt himself chasing after Draco._ Sylvia shrugged and returned her attention to the front.

Quirrell paced before the class and began his introduction to the subject. It was hard to make out was he was saying due to his speech impediment, and everyone foolish enough to sit in the front row was greeted with a spray of saliva as he passed by.

Sylvia glanced back at Harry, who was still rubbing his forehead.  _What’s wrong with him? I don’t recall him doing that in our other classes._

Feeling a nudge, she turned and was met with Tracy’s smug grin. Sylvia put a finger to her lips, hoping her new  _friend_ , would know to keep her mouth shut.

_I’m already in enough hot water with Draco as it is. Besides, I don’t fancy Harry._ She sighed.  _I mean, sure, he has cute eyes, but that doesn’t mean anything. I just want to get to know him. He’s a hero like my step-father._

Throughout her early childhood, Sylvia had always romanticized how her step-parents met and the adventures they had endured in order to stop the Hundred-Year War. She had declared that one day she would be just like them.

_I’d marry a man who was destined for greatness, and together we’d save the world from evil forces._ Sylvia smiled to herself while she tried to copy notes from Quirrell’s lecture.  _Maybe this is my chance. Oh, what am I thinking? After falling out with Draco, his parents would never agree to match like that._

In frustration, she pressed the tip of her quill too hard against the parchment and scratched a jagged line across the page.

_Ugh, here I am again. It way too soon to think about this stuff. I don’t care about having a suitor._ She furrowed her brow. _All I want is a friend. A true friend, who accepts me as I am without all of these pure-blood rules._

Shuffling over to the Slytherin side of the classroom, Quirrell began jotting notes on the chalkboard.

_“Ah, they’re both here.”_

Startled, Sylvia looked up. Everyone else was quiet and didn’t seem to notice.

_“The boy and the girl. Watch them closely.”_

Sylvia looked around.  _It sounds like someone else is in the room, but only Quirrell is talking. How…._

Quirrell finished his notes, and when he turned around, his eyes locked with Sylvia’s. The professor’s normally nervous gaze darkened for a brief second before returning to normal, and he shuffled back to the other side of the class.

“Are you okay?” Tracy whispered.

Sylvia pulled herself out of her thoughts and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

….

Class ended for the day, and there were still a few hours until dinner. Sylvia asked to borrow Draco’s map, so she could venture around the castle and get a better understanding of her surroundings. He was suspicious at first until she assured that she would take someone with her. Draco was about to order Crabbe to follow her, but she beat him to it and dragged Tracy down another corridor.

“This place is huge.” Tracy groaned. “It’s going to take months before we have everything memorized.”

“All the more reason to get a head start,” Sylvia said, her eyes glued to the map.

“You and Malfoy sure butt heads a lot.” Tracy folded her arms.

“In my muggle family, I was the oldest of four children.” Sylvia frowned. “I’m not used to being told what to do, and as an only child, Draco isn’t used to not having his way all the time.”

“Makes sense.” Tracy shrugged. “Is the bathroom nearby? Pardon my language, but I feel fit to burst.”

“Well, we’re on the second floor.” Sylvia pointed ahead. “The girls’ lavatory should be a few yards ahead and to the right.”

“Brilliant. I’ll be right back.” Tracy scurried down the corridor.

_Alone at last. I wish I could continue on my own, but that wouldn’t be very nice._ Sylvia leaned against the wall behind her and examined the map. “Let’s see… Gryffindors are in the highest tower in the castle. I wonder what the view is like?”

“Sylvia?”

Looking up, Sylvia saw Harry and Ron headed in her direction. Ron had resumed his glare and seemed to be dragged along for the ride.

“Good evening, Harry.” She narrowed her eyes at Ron. “Weasley.”

“Slytherin.” Ron folded his arms.

“I have a name, you know,” she said.

“What difference does it make?” Ron scoffed. “You’re all the same.”

“Ron, stop. Please.” Harry sighed. “We’re not here to argue, Sylvia. Ron wants to apologize for upsetting you earlier.”

“Doesn’t sound like it to me.” Sylvia shrugged. “But if you’re bothered by our last conversation, Harry, I’ll accept the apology.”

“Good.” Ron looked at Harry. “Can we go now?”

“Wait.” Harry gave his friend a look before returning his attention to Sylvia. “About what you said earlier. You know, us being friends. Why me? Don’t you have students in your house to–”

“My housemates only accept me so long as I adhere to the rules of pure-blood society.” She groaned. “It doesn’t help that my real family were marked as blood-traitors, and they don’t fail to remind me.”

Ron furrowed his brow. “Wait, were you the girl who was found in the Ministry lobby?”

Sylvia nodded.

“My dad was there. Said you just appeared in the fountain, and when they pulled you out, you looked almost dead. If they had been a second too late, you probably would have,” Ron said.

Harry shifted his gaze between the two of them. “Why did you appear in a fountain?”

“It’s a long story.” Sylvia stood upright from the wall and stepped closer to Harry. “Anyway, I want to make this quick. Tracy should return any moment, and if she sees us talking, Draco’ll have a fit.”

“What is it?” Harry said.

“First, I wanted to say thank you, Harry.” She smiled. “I don’t know how you did it, but defeating the Dark Lord saved, as well as avenged, many lives.”

Harry scratched the back of his head. “To be honest, I’m not sure how I did it either.”

“The fact that you stopped the Dark Lord is what matters.” Her gaze drew toward the floor. “When I first learned that my real family had been killed in the war, I was furious, but when I learned about you, I feel a little better knowing justice was served.”

“Oh, well… um….” Harry cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”

She nodded and glanced toward the girls’ bathroom. “You should get going, and maybe I’ll see you around?”

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “Sure.”

Sylvia watched Harry and Ron leave, her heart skipping a beat, but she was brought out of her daze by the large slam of a door. Turning, she saw Tracy step out into the corridor.

“About time, Tracy.” Sylvia walked over to her. “I was about to check and see if you had fallen in and down some secret passageway.”

Tracy stuck out her tongue. “Gross. Who in their right mind would hide a passageway in a bathroom?”

“Just a thought.” Sylvia pulled out the map. “Come on, we still have the top floors to explore before dinner.”


	12. Enlightenment

“Let’s see….” Tracy examined her time-table. “Today we have Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, History of Magic, and Astrology after dinner.”

“At least we don’t have Potions.” Sylvia sighed while decorating her toast with some strawberries. “But I don’t know if I can handle another lesson in History of Magic. I almost fell asleep yesterday.”

Tracy nodded. “It doesn’t help that they allow a ghost to teach the class. I swear he rambles just to hear himself talk.”

“Sylvia, why didn’t you wait for me?”

She looked up to see Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle, who had just entered the Great Hall. Draco folded his arms and looked down at her with a disapproving frown.

“Because I was hungry.” Sylvia shrugged. “Besides, I’ve made friends with Tracy, and I’d rather spend the day with her. No offense.”

Draco looked like he wanted to reprimand her, but instead, he kept his jaw tight and uttered a bitter, “Fine.”

Tracy giggled. “Don’t look so distressed, Malfoy. Sylvia’s in good hands.”

Rolling his eyes, Draco walked over to another part of the table and sat down with the other boys.

“He sure is protective of you.” Tracy took a sip of pumpkin juice. “It’s kind of sweet.”

“More like bossy.” Sylvia shook her head. “I think he took his father’s advice to look out for me a little too seriously.”

“Well, it makes sense. Brothers are supposed to protect their sisters’ honor and all that. Granted, you two aren’t related, but despite Bulstrode’s advice, we both know you prefer brunettes to blondes.” Tracy winked at her.

“Will you let it go already?” Sylvia hissed through gritted teeth, and after checking to make sure no one was listening, she whispered, “I only admire Potter for what he’s done for our world, nothing more.”

“Oh, come off it.” Tracy gave a lazy wave, dismissing her argument. “I saw you talking to Potter and Weasley when I was leaving the loo.”

She took another bite of toast. “I had a feeling you did, but thank you for not saying anything.”

“Of course, that’s what friends are for. And you may call it what you like, but admiration is still something,” Tracy said.

Sylvia glanced over at the Gryffindor table. Most of the students were already there, including Harry and Ron. She gave a discrete wave, but it was enough to catch Harry’s attention. Looking up, he gave her a small wave before returning to his conversation with his friends.

Tracy nudged her. “See.”

“Enough, Tracy.” Sylvia scoffed. “I can’t help how I feel. He reminds me of my muggle family.”

“Oh?” Tracy raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Well, my step-father is a monk.” Sylvia smiled. “He travels to villages, towns, and sometimes even major cities to help people in need.”

“Wait…. If he’s a monk, how can he be married?” Tracy said.

“There was a war some time ago that killed off his people, so he didn’t have choice. Though I doubt he cared since he’s so in love with my step-mother. She’s very beautiful and a master healer,” Sylvia said.

“You mean nurse, right?” Tracy said.

“Yes, but we call it healer in our town.” Sylvia shrugged. “Then there’s my step-uncle and aunt, who were both soldiers in the war. Now they’re lauded as an honorary heroes, and he’s the head of the town’s council while she became a guard at a palace. Oh, and one of my step-parents’ friends. I used to baby-sit her daughter along with my siblings. She’s tough as nails and became the head of law enforcement in our town.”

Tracy gasped. “Wow, they sound pretty important, you know, by muggle standards.”

“Figures you’d be impressed by such mediocrity, Half-blood.”

Sylvia groaned and looked up. Pansy was standing over them, a sneer on her face, and Daphne and Millicent lurked behind her, almost mirroring Crabbe and Goyle.

“And what have you done to better the world, Parkinson? Oh that’s right, nothing, because you’re a selfish, pig-mule,” Sylvia said.

Tracy blinked. “Pig-mule?”

Sylvia glanced at her. “It’s we called it back in my muggle home.”

Daphne and Millicent gasped, their eyes wide while Pansy looked as red as Weasley’s hair. Sylvia sighed, her thoughts going back to their first meeting in Diagon Alley. It was like she was fated to be at odds with Pansy, and while Sylvia would’ve preferred going through school with as little conflict as possible, she wasn’t going to let herself be pushed around.

Pansy glared at her and pulled out her wand. “Say that again, Hexington. I dare you.”

“Is that really behavior proper of a lady, Parkinson?” Draco called from his spot at the table.

“But she–” Pansy pointed at Sylvia. “Did you hear what she said to me?”

“Yes, I saw everything, and I must say, Sylvia’s description of you is quite fitting.” Draco laughed. “Honestly, did you really believe you’d gain my favor by picking on her?”

“Gain your favor?” Pansy put her wand away and raised her head high with a huff. “Ridiculous. Why I’d never. What on earth ever gave you such a silly idea?”

Daphne and Millicent shared a glance behind her.

“Sylvia did.” Draco sneered at her. “And I say, I’m quite embarrassed to be fancied by the likes of you.”

The students within earshot of their conversation laughed, and Pansy rushed out of the Great Hall with Daphne and Millicent chasing after her.

Draco nodded to Sylvia before returning his attention to his friends.

Tracy shook her head. “Is this what the whole year is going to be like?”

“Hopefully, not,” Sylvia said.

….

Entering the Transfiguration classroom, Sylvia and Tracy found a seat near the front of the class. She took out her textbook along with her quill and a bottle of ink. She heard a book bag thump against the seat in front of them and looked up to see the bushy haired Gryffindor girl.

The girl met her gaze. "Good morning. I’m Hermione Granger, and you are?”

“Uh… morning….” Sylvia shared a glance with Tracy. “I’m Sylvia Hexington, and this is Tracy Davis.”

Tracy raised an eyebrow. “Why are you sitting near us? Shouldn’t you be with your Gryffindor friends?”

Hermione glanced away for a moment. “I haven’t had a chance to make any friends yet.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to sit with us,” Sylvia said.

“Thank you.” Hermione finished placing her supplies on her desk. “Why did you stand up for him?”

Sylvia furrowed her brow. "Sorry, what?"

Hermione sat down. “Harry. Yesterday in Flying Lessons.”

“Because what Draco did was a dirty trick and irresponsible,” Sylvia said.

Hermione scoffed. “It was irresponsible of both of them, but it looks like everything won out in Harry’s favor.”

“What do you mean?” Tracy said.

“Surely you’ve started to hear the rumors?” When Hermione received two blank stares, she sighed. “He’s been made seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.”

“You’re joking.” Tracy gasped. “First years can’t join the teams, and we haven’t even had a proper Flying Lesson yet.”

“What!”

Turning around, the girls saw Draco and the other Slytherin boys sitting behind them. Draco stood and walked over to them, a scowl on his face.

“The only thing Potter should’ve gotten was detention. It’s probably because he’s famous,” Draco said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. “Or maybe he has natural talent. I checked the showcase of trophies just outside of the Great Hall, and his father was a seeker too.”

“I don’t know. Raw talent doesn’t make up for hard work and dedication.” Sylvia put a hand to her chin. “If what I recall is true, Potter grew up in the Muggle World too, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, and I’ve already seen how well you are on a broom, Sylvia.” Draco grinned at her. “Face it, Potter only got on because the professors are playing favorites. This is ridiculous.”

“Perhaps that’ll teach you not bully anyone.” Hermione folded her arms. “After all, Harry would’ve never been noticed if you hadn’t taken Longbottom’s remembrall.”

Draco glanced Hermione up and down. “And who are you, _Gryffindor_?”

Sylvia gestured to her. “This is Hermione Granger.”

“Granger….” Draco sounded out the name like it had a bad aftertaste. “Half-blood?”

Hermione’s eyes widened before shaking her head. “No.”

Tracy recoiled in her seat, her nose curling like she had smelled something disgusting. “Ugh, we’ve been talking to a mud-blood this whole time?”

Gasps erupted from some of the other students who knew what the word meant, and Hermione diverted their gazes, her hand tightly gripping her chair.

“Seems like someone has forgotten their place.” Draco sneered at her. “You have no business speaking to us, Mud-blood. Given that Potter enjoys the company of filth, it’s no surprise that you support him.”

Sylvia furrowed her brow at Hermione, who looked like she was about to cry. She had to say something, anything, but she was didn’t want to risk Draco threatening her again.

_If he tells his parents that I defended a muggle-born…. No, but this isn’t right._ She looked at Draco. “Draco, stop it. This is not appropriate language for class, and besides, Granger is a Gryffindor. Of course she supports someone in her own house.”

Draco narrowed his eyes. “Honestly, first Potter, and now you’re defending this mud-blood?”

“No… I….” Sylvia lowered her gaze to the floor. “What I mean to say is….”

“What?” Tracy snorted. “Because that’s what it sounds like.”

“Well, forgive me for wanting to get through the day like a normal person.” Sylvia focused her attention on her textbook. “I have no interest in… interacting with muggle-borns either, but that’s no excuse to go around bullying everyone, Draco.”

“It’s alright. I’ll just go.” Hermione quickly threw her supplies back into her rucksack and moved to another desk on the other side of the room.

Draco glared at her retreating form. “Good riddance.”

Sylvia sighed and glanced at Hermione from the corner of her eye. The Gryffindor wiped her face with her sleeve, ignoring all of the attention that was hovering over her. Hearing the door creak open, everyone saw McGonagall enter the room, and going silent, they returned to their seats. She made her way to the front of the class.

"Good morning, First Years. Welcome to Transfiguration." McGonagall adjusted her glasses, her eyes scanning every student in the room. "Now can anyone tell me what transfiguration is?"

Sylvia saw Hermione raise her hand high in the air, and it was the only hand raised.

McGonagall nodded to her. "Yes, Ms. Granger."

Hermione smiled. "Transfiguration is the art of changing the form and appearance of an object, animal, or person."

A small smile appeared on McGonagall’s face. "Very good, Ms. Granger. Five points to Gryffindor."

Sylvia heard some of the students give a small cheer while the others either groaned or whispered. It didn't take much to figure out which houses the voices belonged to.

McGonagall paced back and forth in front of the class. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

The class nodded. “Yes, Professor McGonagall.”

"Very well. Now then, is there anyone who can tell me what the different types of Transfiguration are?"

Once again, Hermione’s hand was the only one raised.

"Ms. Granger, if you please?” McGonagall said.

Hermione's face beamed with pride while she lowered her hand. "There are four, Professor. The first is Transformation, which is the altering of the physical features of an object. That includes Human Transfiguration, Switches, and Trans-Species Transformations. The second is Vanishment, which is the process of making objects go into non-existence."

Sylvia stared at Hermione with wide eyes.

"Third is Conjuration, which is the opposite of Vanishment; it brings the castor's desired object into physical being." Hermione took a deep breath, her smile never leaving her face. "And lastly, there's Untransfiguration, which returns a transfigured object to its original and proper state."

"Well done, Ms. Granger. Another five points to Gryffindor,” McGonagall said.

Tracy scoffed and muttered, “How could a mud-blood know so much?”

Sylvia rolled her eyes.  _Why should that make any difference? I wasn’t raised here either, and yet no one questions me learning anything. Of course, as Draco says, magic is my birthright. But if everyone is born with magical ability, doesn’t everyone have the right to be here?_

McGonagall looked to the rest of the class. “For today, you’re going to take notes on some of the spells you will be learning this term. Open your books to page five and begin studying chapters one through three. There shall be no talking.”

_Great. More notes and lectures._ Sylvia opened her textbook to the correct page. 

The whole room fell silent, except for the sound of quills scribbling against parchment. McGonagall paced back and forth, making sure every student was working before returning to her desk. As she did, she transfigured into a tabby cat and sat on top of the desk.

Sylvia's eyes widened, and she heard a few other students gasp too.  _Wow, I wonder what spell that is?_

McGonagall meowed at the class, calling for silence.

Sylvia returned her attention to her notes.  _Well, at least the subject matter will be interesting once we actually get to practice._

As she wrote, Sylvia couldn’t help her easily distracted mind, and her thoughts wandered to the Granger girl. She was obviously intelligent, and now that Sylvia focused on it, Granger had been pretty vocal in their other classes.

_And now she probably hates me for what I said._ Sylvia furrowed her brow. _I should apologize when I get the chance._

The classroom door swung open, and everyone looked up to see Harry and Ron rush inside.

“Made it.” Ron looked at Harry. "Can you image the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?"

Jumping off of the table, McGonagall transfigured back into her human form and walked over to Harry and Ron with a stern gaze.

Sylvia shared a glance with Tracy before returning her attention to her work.  _Honestly, Weasley is such an idiot._

….

If she had been told before, Sylvia wouldn’t have believed it, but now she was sure Herbology rivaled Potions as one of her least favorite classes. Entering the greenhouse, she saw vines spread across the cloudy glass , and the floor was covered in dirt. 

“How… lovely.” Tracy snorted.

“What are we going to do here? Gardening?” Sylvia said.

"Come on, Harry, you should be a little more cheerful. They just made you seeker."

Sylvia turned in the direction of Ron’s encouraging voice and saw him and Harry enter the greenhouse. The Weasley boy was grinning like mad while Harry looked lost.

“Humph.” Draco stepped forward, a sneer on his face. “Well, aren’t you the big star, Potter? I’m sure your captain is happy to get The Boy Who Lived on his team.”

He strode over to the Gryffindor boys with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.

Ron folded his arms. “Jealous, Malfoy?”

"Of what, him? Please." Draco scoffed and met Harry’s gaze. “I can't wait to see you fall flat on your face. Maybe you'll get another ugly scar from it."

“Again with this?” Sylvia strode over to the boys. “Draco, enough. We’ve only been here two days, and you can’t go five minutes without conjuring up trouble. Give it a rest.”

Draco turned around, his eyes narrowed at her. “I’ll speak to them however I want. Why do you even care? You shouldn’t waste your time feeling sorry for the likes of them.”

“And why do you care?” Sylvia placed her hands on her hips. “ _You_ shouldn’t waste your time being mean to them. With such a high pedigree, Draco, you don’t act like it.”

He pursed his lips. “Go back to Davis, and stay out of this. I mean it, Sylvia. Get out of line again, and I’m writing my parents.”

“Leave her alone, Malfoy.” Harry stepped forward. “She’s right.”

Draco’s eyes snapped to Harry’s, and the tension in the room increased ten fold. Sylvia was certain that if they could get away with it, the two boys would break out into a duel right now.

“Mind your own business, Potter. Sylvia is not your concern.” Seeing the Herbology professor enter the greenhouse, Draco roughly grabbed Sylvia by the arm and returned to the rest of their housemates.

“Let go,” Sylvia hissed and ripped her arm from his grip.

He looked at her, his tone stern. “Behave yourself. I will not tell you again.”

“Bully,” she muttered before returning to Tracy’s side.  _I can’t believe him. He’s so arrogant, and pompous, and…._

Sylvia did her best to pay attention to the lesson, but she was furious. She was sitting in a classroom full of children who were heroic, smart, even normal, and yet she was supposed to hate… no, outright mock them because they were beneath her?

_And why? Because I’m pure-blood and they’re not?_ She focused on her notes.  _I can’t do this. I don’t want to treat people the way I was treated back home._

Her thoughts wandered to her recent years in the Elemental World. She was considered a freak, the pathetic child of the Avatar whose bending didn’t work properly. She hated the other children who lived in Republic City. They’d mock her, sometimes even bend at her, and she’d return home with small bruises or burns. There were times, she had to admit, when she did want to hurt them. If her abilities were so abnormal, the least she could do was make everyone fear her, so she could be left alone.

But Sylvia hadn’t been alone. Her step-parents were there, defending her every time. Aang told her that there was nothing to be ashamed of, and that he was proud and loved her. Katara comforted her worries and healed her wounds. Bumi and Kya adored her. To them, their big sister was awesome and fun, not a freak to despise.

In her step-family, Sylvia had love and a home, but that was not where she belonged. She was a witch, and as such, she was destined to live in a world where the cruelty she’d experience thrived. Except now she was on the opposite side of the spectrum. She was pure-blood, wealthy, a lady of high class, and she was meant to look down on others.

_I thought what the Malfoys told me was the truth, that this world was just different, but this can’t be right._ She sighed.  _What can I do? I want to fight it, but the Malfoys took me in when they didn’t have to. If I disobey them…._

Feeling a nudge, Sylvia looked up and saw Tracy looking at her with a furrowed brow.

“You alright?” Tracy whispered.

Sylvia shook her head and returned to taking notes. After the incident in Transfiguration, she knew she couldn’t confide in her new friend, and when she thought about it, Tracy seemed to be the only student in her house open to friendship at all. All the others saw when they looked at Sylvia was her real family’s reputation and her connection to the Malfoys.

_“_ _The moment you set foot into Hogwarts, you’ll set a reputation for yourself amongst your peers. Make sure it isn’t a bad one.”_

Narcissa’s words echoed in her mind. It was only the second day of school, but Sylvia realized she had a choice to make. In the next seven years, would she be remembered as a perfect, pure-blood witch, who obeyed and carried herself above others, or would she be remembered as a filthy blood-traitor, who let herself fall from grace but stood up for what she believed in?


	13. Rebellion

Two months passed, and it was the night of Halloween. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for a holiday feast of tricks and treats. Jack o’ lanterns floated above the tables, and even some of the school ghosts joined in on the festivities. The Fat Friar, Grey Lady, and Nearly-Headless Nick were busy entertaining their houses while the Bloody Baron was thankfully absent.

While Sylvia was not disturbed by the presence of ghosts in general, she wasn’t too fond of Slytherin’s dreary specter. The Baron lived up to his name by being covered in blood. Why, Sylvia didn’t know, and the older students had warned the first years never to ask.

“Such a strange holiday.” Sylvia shrugged to herself. “Nothing like the festivals I used to see with my muggle family.”

She picked up a large, round lollipop and started slowly licking it. Part of it tasted like pumpkin; the other, however, she couldn't identify. All she could tell was that the black swirls were a little bitter.

Tracy took a bite out of a candied apple. “Oh, what kind of festivals?”

“Like the Glacier Spirit Festival. It lasts for a few days and ends on the winter solstice,” Sylvia said.

“Spirits?” Tracy furrowed her brow. “You mean, like ghosts? But muggles can’t see what we see.”

“Doesn’t stop them from believing.” Sylvia smiled. “Spirits exist to protect things that are sacred to the world and are teachers of things long forgotten or unknown to the living.” 

Before Tracy could reply, the Great Hall doors slammed open, and everyone turned to see Quirrell rush inside.

“Troll in the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!”

The professor’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he fainted in the middle of the aisle. Screams erupted through the hall, and the students quickly stood and rushed for the exit.

“Merlin, this isn’t good,” Tracy said.

_A troll?_ Sylvia gulped while she covered her ears from all the shouting.  _Like a Mountain Troll? But why would one be in the castle?_

Dumbledore stood. "Silence!"

The entire room went quiet at his command.

“Do not panic.” Dumbledore lowered his voice to a more calm tone. “Prefects lead your students back to your houses. Teachers, follow me.”

The Slytherin prefects called the students to them, and they headed out of the Great Hall. Night had already fallen, and there was storm outside, making the corridors dark and ominous. They made their way into the Grand Staircase and started heading downward.

An eerie silence fell over everyone while they slowly made their way down the corridor. The first years glanced in every direction, hoping they didn't cross the troll's path by accident. A spark of lightning flashed across the sky, temporarily illuminating the corridor. Sylvia heard Draco scream and saw him cower behind Crabbe and Goyle.

“Why are we returning to our own house? It's in the dungeons where the troll is!" Draco said.

Sylvia turned around. "Scared, Draco?"

He looked at her and scoffed. "Of course not."

She smirked. "You don't seem like it to me."

"Who asked you?" He stuck out his tongue.

A loud boom echoed from another part of the castle followed by a crack of lightning. All the first years jumped and huddled together.

Draco yelped the loudest, quickly hiding behind Goyle, and whimpered, "It's coming for us."

Millicent cried. "We're all going to get eaten alive!"

The Slytherin prefects, Farley and Runcorn, looked back. "Everyone be quiet and stay together. We're almost to the common room."

Reaching the trap door, the first years rushed inside and secured themselves around the fireplace. The older students remained calm, finding a comfortable spot to gossip, and the prefects guarded the entrance.

Sitting on the couch, Pansy hugged her arms around her legs. "Do you think they’ll get rid of the troll?"

“I hope so.” Millicent shook her head. "I don't want to get eaten."

“Calm yourself.” Daphne sighed. “Everything will be fine."

Draco sat across from the girls. “How did a troll get in here in the first place? Doesn't this school have any barriers or security?"

_I hope Harry and the others are okay._ Sylvia walked to the tables against the window.

"Where are you going?" Draco said.

She rolled her eyes. "To study.”

“Wait for me.” Tracy followed her. “We can work on that Potions essay.”

Setting her rucksack on the table, Sylvia sat down and pulled out her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. “Actually, I was planning to work on some spells. Might be a good idea now that we have a troll running around.”

“We can do both,” she said.

Tracy sat across from her and pulled out her Potions textbook and writing supplies. Meanwhile, Sylvia turned to the appropriate page in her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and glanced over one of the jinxes.

_“_ Curse of the Bogies:  _Mucus ad Nauseam_ ," Sylvia whispered. 

She had been elated when the professors finally moved on to actual spells. Granted, it was very simple things like making objects float and turning a match into a needle, but it was much more exciting than taking notes.

Sylvia pulled out her wand and practiced the wand movements she had learned in Charms. After about five plain swishes, she muttered the incantation while continuing the motion, and it was about twenty times before she let her arm rest.

Putting her wand away, she took out her writing supplies and switched to her Potions textbook, along with a book of potions ingredients she borrowed from the library. “How far have you gotten, Tracy?”

“The introduction.” Tracy gave her a sheepish smile. “How many examples are you going to use?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Sylvia bit the end of her quill while she browsed the ingredient index.

Their assignment was to list and explain the different types of roots and their uses in potion making. Sylvia was almost thankful for Snape’s essays, for without them, she was certain her marks would be hovering around  _dreadful_ .

“Honestly, could you believe that mud-blood in Charms? The show off,” Tracy said.

Sylvia looked up. “Excuse me?”

“That mud-blood. What was her name again?” Tracy thought for a moment. “Granger. That’s the one. The Gryffindor with the atrocious hair.”

“What about her?” Sylvia sighed.

“She managed to do the levitating charm perfectly. Next to Potter, she’s become the favorite in almost every class.” Tracy scoffed. “Don’t you find it embarrassing? I mean, a mud-blood like her shouldn’t be that skilled.”

“I suppose.” Sylvia shrugged. “Why don’t we just focus on the essay?”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” Tracy said.

“Honestly, what difference does it make? Besides, you’re only a half-blood. You’re not in the position to judge anyone, are you?” Sylvia said.

Tracy’s eyes slightly widened. “I only mean….”

“It doesn’t matter what you mean because I don’t care. Let’s finish the assignment,” Sylvia said.

They continued their work. Every now and then, Sylvia heard her housemates walk by, and it wasn't long before everyone retired to their dorms, leaving the common room in a peaceful silence.

Noticing a shadow hovering over her, Sylvia looked up. "Yes, Draco?"

Draco glanced at her notes. "You should go to bed. It's getting late."

Tracy shook her head. “We’ll be fine, Malfoy. Besides, tomorrow's Saturday."

He leaned against the desk. "Exactly, it's the first Quidditch game of the season. I wouldn't want Sylvia to miss it because you kept her up all night, Davis.”

"Fine.” Sylvia sighed. “I’ll head in soon, but let me finish my notes."

Draco gave her a short nod. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Draco.” Sylvia shifted her gaze from his retreating form to her rucksack.  _Tomorrow._

… _._

The next morning, Sylvia and Tracy made their way to the Great Hall, and while they walked down the corridors, they overheard the nearby students gossiping about what happened the night before.

_"Did you hear what Potter did last night?"_

_"He defeated the mountain troll single handedly. Saved that Granger girl."_

_"That can't be true. He's just a first year."_

_"Yeah, but he also defeated You-Know-Who. A troll would be easy for him."_

_"I heard that little Weasley was with him too."_

“Potter fought the troll last night?” Tracy said.

Sylvia furrowed her brow. “But why? He could’ve gotten himself killed.”

Entering the Great Hall, gossip about the troll and cheers for the Quidditch Tournament filled the room. Sylvia and Tracy sat in the middle of the Slytherin table with the other first years.

Sylvia retrieved a bowl of porridge with some fruit on the side. “And just when I thought it was going to be a good morning. Draco’s not going to like this.”

Tracy snorted while she piled some eggs onto her plate. “Since when does he like anything?”

On cue, Draco stormed into the Great Hall with Crabbe and Goyle behind him, and he slammed his rucksack on the spot next to Sylvia. Pursing his lips, he sent a sneer over to the Gryffindor table. 

"This is so absurd!” He sat down. “It's bad enough Perfect Potter made the Quidditch team, but now he's defeating trolls? The show off. I can't wait to see him fail today."

Sylvia ate another spoonful of her porridge.  _Who am I going to root for? Obviously it should be for my own house, but I really hope Harry does well too._

She looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Harry sitting with Ron and Hermione. His eyes were downcast at his plate, but he wasn’t eating. Sylvia hadn’t spoken to any of them since the beginning of school, deciding to stay out of the social warfare and focus on her studies. However, she knew she couldn’t remain neutral for long. She was tired of smiling and nodding whenever Draco or the others mocked or bullied someone, and perhaps today would the day she’d make her stance known.

….

Later that afternoon, everyone gathered at the Quidditch pitch. Sylvia stood with the rest of her housemates in the Slytherin stands. Tracy was to her left, holding a banner, while Draco looked like he was about to explode.

“Draco, it’s not that big of a deal. Potter obviously wouldn’t have had his own broom since we’re not allowed one,” Sylvia said.

He looked at her. “That doesn’t mean he deserves to have the best racing broom on the market! How is that fair! This school is just letting him get away with everything!”

“Honestly. Potter, Potter, Potter.” Tracy gave a bored yawn. “Do you ever change your tune, Malfoy? The professors are playing favorites, but it’s not like we can do anything about.”

“Maybe you don’t care, Half-blood.” Pansy, along with Daphne and Millicent, moved to the empty spaces in the second row. “But Draco has every right to call this charade out for exactly what it is.”

“Why don’t we just focus on the game?” Sylvia said.

Both teams flew out into the stadium while cheers for Gryffindor and Slytherin filled the air.

" _Hello and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season. Today's game, Slytherin versus Gryffindor_ !"

Sylvia took out a pair of binoculars and watched both teams take a formation against each other.  _Harry looks nervous._

Hooch stood on the field and opened a large chest. Two bludgers shot into the air while the snitch fluttered in another direction. Taking the quaffle, Hooch stepped in between both teams and threw it up in the air. Sylvia watched the players fight over the quaffle, but it wasn’t long before Gryffindor took the lead. The Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint, threw the quaffle at Gryffindor's middle goal post, but their Keeper blocked it. 

The quaffle went flying and was caught by a Gryffindor Chaser. It was passed between her and the other chasers until they got to opposite side of the field, and the Chaser shot it straight through one of Slytherin's goals. Boos and hisses erupted from the Slytherin stands. The quaffle was in the hands of one of the Slytherin Chasers, but when he threw it at one of Gryffindor's goals, the Keeper caught it.

Sylvia smiled.  _Wow, the Gryffindor team is really good._

However, Flint took one of the Beaters' sticks and knocked the Gryffindor Keeper off of his broom with a bludger. The Keeper collapsed against his broomstick and fell to the ground. The Slytherins cheered.

"That's cheating!" Sylvia frowned. "He can't do that!"

Draco looked at her. "Of course he can. Now maybe we can win some of our points back."

With the Gryffindor's Keeper out of commission, the Slytherin Chasers scored goal after goal, and they started to take down the rest of the Gryffindor team.

_So this is what our house stands for? Cheating and using dirty hand tricks in order to win?_ Sylvia felt Draco tap her shoulder. "What?"

Draco pointed up, a wide smirk on his face. "Oi, look at Potter."

Sylvia directed her attention to where he was pointing, and her eyes widened. Harry's broomstick had gone haywire and tried to buck him off of until he was dangling by one hand. The rest of the school was horrified, but the Slytherins continued to laugh at the spectacle.

Dropping her binoculars, Sylvia put her hands to mouth. "He's going to fall!"

Pansy giggled. "Good, let him."

Draco nodded. "It'll teach him to stop showing off."

When it looked like Harry was about to drop, the broom stopped moving. He quickly mounted it and started chasing after the snitch.

Sylvia smiled.  _Yes. He's safe._

Harry and the Slytherin Seeker were soon neck in neck, both trying to knock each other out of the way while they chased the fluttering sphere. Their pursuit led them into a ninety degree dive to the ground.

Crabbe pointed at them. "Eh, look at that. Look at that."

Draco smirked. "This is it. Potter's done for."

Sylvia bit her lip.  _Don't be stupid, Harry. Pull up. Pull up._

However, the Slytherin Seeker pulled up before he got too close to the ground, and Harry turned his broomstick up, missing the ground by a few inches. He rode the broom close to the ground and slowly stood on top of it. Reaching his hand out, he leaned forward, but his weight tilted the broomstick, tumbling himself forward onto the ground.

"Harry?" Sylvia barely muttered out.

Taking her binoculars, she pinpointed him on the grassy part of the pitch. Harry stood up, but looked like he was about to throw up. Squinting her eyes, she saw something golden fall out of his mouth.

" _Harry Potter receives one hundred and fifty points for catching the Snitch_ !  _Gryffindor wins_ !"

Draco gasped. "What?"

The Slytherins booed and scowled while the other houses cheered louder than ever. Harry stood in the middle of the pitch, holding the snitch up high for all to see. Sylvia saw his bright smile and couldn't help but cheer herself.

She pumped her fist into the air. "Go, Harry! You did it! Whoohoo!"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re not actually cheering him on, are you?"

Sylvia gasped, realizing her error, and shivered under the scrutinizing gazes of her housemates. “What? He did a good job.”

“That’s not the point,” he said.

“Forget it. I’m not in the mood to deal with your attitude all day.” Sylvia pushed past Tracy and headed toward the stairwell.

“Sylvia, get back here!” Draco said.

Ignoring him, Sylvia continued to the bottom of the stands where she saw the Gryffindors gathering. Half of their team was being carted away to the Hospital Wing by the professors, but they were still elated about their victory nonetheless.

“Harry!” Sylvia ran over to them.

Hearing her voice, Harry stopped walking and looked back. Hermione, Ron, and two twin boys, who looked related to Ron, noticed Harry's pause in stride and turned around.

Stopping in front of them, Sylvia caught her breath and smiled. “Hi. You guys did well, despite my house cheating the way they did."

Harry smiled. "Uh, thanks."

Ron frowned while Hermione nodded. The twins raised an eyebrow at her, but their expressions seemed more curious than distasteful.

"Look, here, George, that little Slytherin is complimenting us," one of the twins said.

George nodded. "Yes, certainly don't see that everyday, Fred."

"Sylvia!"

Cringing, she slowly turned around and saw Draco, Tracy, Crabbe, and Goyle heading her way.

Tracy rushed over to her. “Hey, why did you run off for?”

“Not now, Davis.” Draco shoved her to the side and returned his attention to Sylvia. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I was just congratulating them on their victory. Is that a crime?” Sylvia said.

“I told you to stay away from them.” He frowned. “You’re loyalty is to our house not theirs.”

“Well, I don’t care. I can root for whoever I want.” She folded her arms and muttered, “And be friends with whoever I want.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What was that?”

Harry walked over to them. “Stop it, Malfoy. You can’t tell her what to do.”

“Actually, I can.” Draco sneered at him. “But you wouldn’t understand, would you, Potter? What with your parents being dead and all.”

Harry’s eyes went dark, and he glared at him. “Shut up.”

“Oh, did I strike a nerve?” Draco laughed. “Well, I guess you just keep getting lucky, Potter. Trolls, Quidditch, I wonder what's next? Hopefully something that shows the school just how pathetic you really are."

“Don't be a sore loser, Malfoy,” Ron said.

Draco scoffed. “Oh, I haven’t lost anything yet, Weasley. Come next year, we’ll see how good Potter really is.”

Tracy rolled her eyes and tugged Sylvia’s sleeve. “Come on, Sylvia. You’ve said what you had to say, so let’s head back to the common room. This rivalry of theirs is stupid, and I can’t bear the stench of that mud-blood Granger a moment longer.”

Ron glared at her. “What did you call Hermione?”

“A mud-blood. Are you deaf, Weasley?” Tracy snorted. “Honestly, your family is so embarrassing. Pure-blood and yet you all throw it away for nothing.”

Ron and his older brothers looked furious, Hermione looked like she was about to cry again, and Harry was strangely confused.

“What does that mean?” Harry said.

“It’s a foul name for muggle-borns.” Hermione turned away. “Children without magical parents.”

“That’s enough.” Sylvia yanked her sleeve out of her friend’s grip. “Shut up, Tracy.”

“Pardon?” she said.

“I said shut up!” Sylvia glared at her. “Don’t ever call Granger that word again! It’s vile!”

“That’s because she  _is_ vile!” Tracy furrowed her brow. “How can you defend her?”

“Because I don’t hate muggle-borns, or anyone else for that matter.” Sylvia looked at Draco. “Your mother and father taught me that there was something wrong with them, lesser. But Harry’s a hero despite being half-blood, Granger’s the best in our class, and Weasley–” 

She glanced at Ron, but she couldn’t think of anything positive to say about him. Unlike Harry and Hermione, he was completely judgmental of her for no reason.

“Well, Weasley’s kind of a jerk.” She sighed. “Anyway, my point is hating people because of their blood status is stupid, and I’m tired of pretending that I do so you won’t hate me.”

Silence fell between everyone. The look Draco gave her made Sylvia’s blood run cold. His gaze was filled with sheer betrayal, and she feared what he was about to do.

“Well, let’s see what my father has to say about this.” Draco grabbed her by the wrist. “Until then, you’re coming to the common room with me. Clearly, I’ve allowed you too much freedom by befriending that filthy half-blood. Davis is a poor influence on you.”

Tracy’s eyes widened at his words, but lowered her head in shame and retreated from the group. “Forgive me, Malfoy. I didn’t mean to compromise Sylvia’s reputation. I forgot my place.”

“Tracy, wait,” Sylvia said.

Tracy ignored her and rushed back to the castle in tears.

“Good riddance.” Draco scoffed and dragged Sylvia along. “Let’s go.”

“No!” Sylvia pulled away from him. “I don’t care what your father told you. You have no right to boss me around like this, and I’m sick of it. Either you back off and leave me alone, or I'll…."

Draco towered over her. "Or you'll what?"

Sylvia gulped and glanced around. There were no professors or prefects nearby, which meant she was free to take her final step.

_It's either now or never._ Pulling her wand from the pocket of her robes, she quickly pointed it at Draco and said, " _Mucus ad Nauseam!"_

A green light shot from her wand and struck Draco dead on. He staggered backwards, his hands covering his face. Crabbe and Goyle just stood there, dumbfounded, while their leader broke into a fit of sneezes. After the fifth one, Draco pulled his hands away from his face, and a long string of snot stretched out from his nose.

"Ugh, Sylvia!” Draco sneezed again. “How could you! What…!”

Sylvia folded her arms. "That's what you get for being a prat."

Draco ran off in the direction of the castle with Crabbe and Goyle following behind him. Sylvia heard laughter and turned to see all of the boys laughing while Hermione just shook her head.

Sylvia put her wand away. “Promise not to rat me out for that?”

“We won’t but you need to be more careful.” Hermione frowned. “You could’ve gotten in trouble. Not to mention that was utterly disgusting."

“Like bloody hell it was. Rotten git deserved it." Snickering, Ron looked at Sylvia. “Still, why would you do that? You're a Slytherin. Malfoy's one of your own.”

Sylvia put her hands on her hips. "Yes, Slytherin is my house and I live with Draco, but that doesn't mean I agree with the way the others think. I don't see why that's so hard for you to understand."

Ron wrinkled his nose and glanced at Harry, who was still holding back a few laughs, then to Hermione. "Well, maybe I was wrong. I mean anyone who'd stand up to Malfoy like that can't all bad."

“Yes.” Hermione nodded. “Thank you.”

"Good enough." Sylvia smiled. "So are you guys going to celebrate with the rest of your house?"

"Yeah." Harry thought for a second. "Although, I was wondering if you'd like to meet us in the library a little later? About an hour."

Sylvia nodded. "Alright. I'm sure I can dodge Draco and the others until then."

"Great. See you then." Harry left with his housemates.


	14. Suspicions and Consequences

Sylvia leaned against the balcony in the Astronomy Tower. A cool breeze blew past while she admired the view of the grounds. The Black Lake glistened under the orange glow of the setting sun, and she was amazed at how vast the Dark Forest was. It seemed to stretch on forever, and she pondered why it was forbidden.

_I bet whatever’s lurking in there is less dangerous than what I’ll endure when I return to the common room._ She sat down on the floor.  _Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy won’t be happy about this_ .  _What am I going to do?_

She hadn’t expected things to escalate the way they did, but what was done was done. The only thing left to do was to stick to her morals and deal with whatever aftermath came her way one step at a time. Of course, that was going to be easier said than done. In the meantime, she decided to spend the following hour staring up at the clouds and enjoying the tranquil silence.

Once the sun shifted a few inches closer to the western horizon, Sylvia made her way back downstairs toward the library. Stepping inside, she searched for the trio within the labyrinth of bookshelves and studying students. She passed by a gated area she couldn’t recall noticing before. Glancing up, she saw a sign that read:  _Restricted Section_ .

_Wonder what they’re keeping back there?_ She shrugged and continued searching.

She passed by a few more rows of shelves while doing her best not to get whacked over the head by one of the re-stocking books floating above. Dodging into another row, she finally heard Hermione’s welcoming tone.

“Oh, Sylvia, over here.”

Turning to the right, Sylvia saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron sitting beside one of the windows. She made her way over and sat down on the opposite side of the table. However, as she did, the trio started whispering amongst themselves, and judging by Hermione’s uneasy expression, they weren’t in total agreement about whatever they were discussing.

Sylvia furrowed her brow. “So why did you all want to meet here?”

Hermione bit her lip. “First, you have to promise you won’t tell anyone else.”

_Okay…._ Sylvia nodded. “Uh, sure, of course.”

Ron narrowed his eyes, his voice lowering to a whisper. “We mean it. You can’t let any of your housemates find out.”

“Alright, I get it. I won’t tell anyone.” Sylvia folded her arms. “Now what is it?”

Harry met her gaze, and he seemed uncertain. “I was wondering if you could tell us any information about Snape?”

“What for?” She saw Hermione give Harry a look she couldn’t read.

He sighed. “We think something bad is going to happen in the school. Something that involves Snape, and you’re in his house. Have you seen him do anything suspicious?”

“While I’m not a fan of Potions and Professor Snape is strict, I don’t think he’d do anything bad. I mean, he’s a teacher.” She shifted her gaze between the three of them.

“Look, we think Snape is after Harry. He jinxed his broom during the match.” Hermione took a small gulp of air and spoke with a slight tremble in her voice. “If I hadn’t distracted Snape, he would’ve killed him.”

“What?” Sylvia blinked a few times before slowly shaking her head. “Professor Snape wouldn’t… that couldn’t be.”

“It’s true. We saw it,” Ron said.

_This is mental_ . Sylvia glanced around to see if any other students were nearby before looking at Harry. “And why would Professor Snape want to kill you?”

“He’s the Boy Who Lived. Why else?” Ron groaned. “Now do you know anything about Snape or not?”

“I already told you what I know.” Sylvia frowned.  _None of this sounds right. Why would a teacher want to hurt or kill a student? Surely the Headmaster and the other professors would’ve noticed?_

Sylvia saw the trio give each other awkward glances again, and they fidgeted in their chairs. Were they telling her the whole truth? She wanted to press the matter further, but not wanting to come across as nosy, she decided against it.

Hermione took out one of her textbooks. “Well, that settles it then. Let’s focus on our assignments.”

“Fair enough. Although, since we’re asking questions, why did you fight the troll last night?” Sylvia said.

“Ron and I were trying to find Hermione. She was in the girl’s lavatory, and it’s lucky we found her in time because the troll had wandered into it,” Harry said.

Ron gave her a smug grin. “ _I_ actually defeated the troll. Knocked it unconscious with its own club, I did.”

“Really? All by yourself?” she said.

“Well, Harry distracted the troll first, but it’s true,” Hermione said.

“Sounds more like dumb luck to me.” Sylvia rolled her eyes. “So are any of you tired of Defense Against the Dark Arts? The jinxes are fun, but I could without Professor Quirrell. There’s something really weird about him.”

“What do you mean?” Harry said.

“What doesn’t she mean?” Ron scrunched his nose. “The bloke’s such a nervous wreck, and he stutters so much, he ruined half of my parchment. That’s the last time I sit in the front.”

Sylvia furrowed her brow.  _I actually meant his behavior._

Every time they were in Quirrell’s class, she was sure she heard another voice speaking whenever he was near her. She had brought it up to her housemates, but none of them had heard anything. Pansy, in particular, taunted that Sylvia would be sent to St. Mungo’s for hearing voices.

_Maybe they’re right?_ She glanced away.  _Then again, Harry’s always rubbing his forehead when we’re in that class, but I don’t want to admit to staring at him._

“Which reminds me. Hermione, do you have your notes from Defense Against the Dark Arts?” Ron said.

“Yes.” Hermione narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“So I can copy from them of course,” he said.

She frowned. “And what makes you think I’m going to let you cheat?”

“It’s not cheating.” He huffed. “I just said my notes were ruined.”

“No, they weren’t. You barely have any notes to ruin because you weren’t paying attention in class,” she said.

He pouted. “Come on, Hermione. Please.”

She eyed Ron for a few seconds before sighing. “Fine. I’ll give them to you when we return to the common room.”

Sylvia couldn’t help but giggle at their bantering. It was refreshing after two months of being at constant odds with her housemates. She had thought she had found honest companionship in Tracy, but that bond might’ve been permanently severed due to her stunt.

“Are you alright?” Harry said.

“Yes.” Sylvia slowly nodded. “I was thinking about what I’m going to do when I return to the Slytherin common room.”

He furrowed his brow. “I hope you don’t end up in trouble. Malfoy deserved what he got.”

She shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to see what happens. Anyway, you really were amazing on the Quidditch pitch, Harry.”

“Thanks.” He smiled. “I’ve never won anything in my life before. My aunt and uncle don’t let me do very much, and I probably would’ve never come to Hogwarts if it weren’t for Hagrid.”

“Hagrid?” She thought for a minute. “Oh, you mean the grounds keeper?”

He nodded. “Yes, he’s really nice. You should come with us to visit him sometime.”

“Maybe, if I have a chance.” She stood. “For now, I should get going. It was nice talking with you guys.”

Hermione set her book down. “Likewise, but could you do us a favor?”

“What is it?” Sylvia said.

“If you see Snape doing anything suspicious, please let us know,” Harry said.

_They honestly want me to spy on a professor?_ Sylvia gave them a firm nod. “I’ll see what I can find.”

Leaving the library, Sylvia felt a knot twist up in her stomach. On the one hand, she was happy that Harry, Hermione, and Ron trusted her, but on the other hand, what they were asking her to do was too questionable. What if the trio was wrong about Snape? They could be getting themselves, along with her, into serious trouble.

_But what if they’re right? I mean, what would we be able to do?_ Sylvia paused in the middle of the corridor.  _Who’d even believe us?_

“Good afternoon, Ms. Hexington.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Snape’s voice, and she quickly turned around. “Uh… good… good afternoon, Professor Snape.”

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. “I would like to have a word with you in private. Follow me.”

“Yes, sir,” she said.

Sylvia followed Snape downstairs to the dungeons, and she noticed that he was walking with a limp. She shrugged to herself, deciding the reasons behind it were none of her business. They entered the Potions classroom, and he sat at his desk while she stood before him, her nerves on end.

“It has been brought to my attention that you performed a bogie curse on Mr. Malfoy. Might I ask why, Ms. Hexington?” Snape said.

_I should’ve known he’d snitch on me._ She sighed. “I did it because Draco wouldn’t stop bossing me around. And he and the others kept calling Hermione a–”

Snape narrowed his eyes. “A what, Ms. Hexington?”

“A… a….” She cringed. “A mud-blood.”

“I see.” His stern expression didn’t waiver, but his tone lightened slightly. “While I understand your intent, Ms. Hexington, I still cannot condone your actions. You should’ve brought the matter to my attention.”

Sylvia lowered her head. “Sorry, Professor Snape. They just made me so angry.”

“Well, allow this to be a lesson to you. You shouldn’t let your emotions cloud your rational judgement,” he said.

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“And as punishment, you’ll be serving detention with me tomorrow evening at six o’ clock.” Snape turned his attention to the large stack of parchment on his desk and started marking them. “You’re free to go.”

_Great._ Sylvia resisted the urge to groan, fearful that he would add more to her sentence. “Yes, sir.”

She left the classroom and took a slow, painful walk toward the Slytherin common room. She hoped the others were still outside, so she could escape into her dorm room unscathed. However, she knew the moment she recited the password and stepped through the trap door that her hope was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Theodore, and Blaise were sitting by the fireplace. Glancing up, Theodore was the first to notice her, and he pointed her out to the others. Draco crooked his neck in her direction, a sneer on his face.

“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up.” He stood and walked over to her. “And where have you been?”

“Studying in the library.” Sylvia folded her arms. “Though you’ll be pleased to learn that Snape also gave me detention.”

Draco snorted, a smile curling on his lips. “That’s the least you deserve.”

“Would you have preferred for Snape to take away points as well? I believe our house has lost enough for today, don’t you think?” she said.

“And what difference does it make to you, Sylvia? You sided with Potter and that mud-blood over us!” he said.

“Because it was the right thing to do!” she said.

“Let’s see what my parents have to say when we return home for Christmas,” he said. “Bet you won’t be so rebellious then!”

“What’s going on here?”

Sylvia and Draco turned to see Farley approaching them.

Draco rolled his eyes. “This doesn’t concern you, Farley. This is family business.”

The fifth year placed her hands on her hips and gave him a condescending glare. “As a prefect, actually it does, and riling up Gryffindors doesn’t sound like family business to me. Not that you care, Malfoy, but some of us have O.W.L.S. to prepare for. So either we settle this now, or I’m sending you both to Professor Snape.”

Sylvia sighed. “Professor Snape already knows, Farley. Draco just refuses to let it go.”

“Then perhaps a separation is in order?” Farley gestured to the boys’ and girls’ dorms. “Off to bed with both of you.”

“I was heading there anyway,” Sylvia said.

“Whatever.” Draco scowled at Farley before returning to the other boys.

“Fine. Do as you like, Malfoy, but I expect peace and quiet for the rest of the evening.” Farley rubbed her forehead before looking at Sylvia. “Just try to keep out of trouble, alright, Hexington?”

Sylvia quickly nodded. “Yes. Sorry.”

“Oh, and I suggest you check on that friend of yours…. Davis, wasn’t it? Saw her rush upstairs in quite a fit earlier.” Farley returned to her study table with the other fifth years.

Sylvia headed upstairs and entered the first years dorm room. She heard crying echo from Tracy’s bed, and taking a deep breath, made her way over to her.

“Tracy?” Sylvia said.

The crying ceased, and Tracy’s tear-stained face peered through the curtains of her bed. “What do you want?”

Sylvia sighed. “I just want to talk.”

“And why would you want to talk to a half-blood like me? I’ve already put you in enough trouble, haven’t I?” she said.

“Tracy–” Sylvia stepped closer. “Don’t listen to Draco. You’re not a bad influence on me.”

She wiped her eyes. “But why else would you have said those horrible things at the pitch? It’s obvious that I’m ruining your reputation.”

“I don’t care about my reputation, and I certainly could care less about blood purity.” Sylvia sat beside her. “And being a half-blood is nothing to be ashamed of. You need to stop beating yourself up about it.”

Tracy narrowed her eyes. “How foolish can you be? Of course blood purity matters. How else would we preserve our kind? That muggle family you lived with warped your mind. Not surprising, given how well you speak of them.”

“You’re right. They did, and I’m glad. Honestly, how can you be okay with me looking down on you for something so silly?” Sylvia said. “Friends aren’t supposed to treat each other like that.”

“It is not silly, and quite frankly, I’m starting to feel embarrassed on Malfoy’s behalf.” Tracy glared at her. “Don’t ever speak to me again, Hexington. We’re not friends anymore.”

Sylvia was taken back by Tracy’s words, but she knew it was coming. She couldn’t keep living a lie, and if that meant she’d never see eye to eye with the members of her house, so be it.

“Fine, I have better friends now anyway.” Sylvia stood and walked over to her bed.

“The kind you deserve, blood-traitor.” Tracy pulled her curtains shut.

Sylvia quickly changed into her pajamas and crawled into her bed.  _I hope I made the right choice._

….

The next evening, Sylvia stood in front of the Potions classroom and sighed. Like any sane child, she wasn’t looking forward to detention; however, at the same time, she realized this was a perfect opportunity to observe her Head of House. She hoped, if she was discreet, that she could get him to spill some information, or discover any clues hidden within the classroom.

_Just keep calm, and don’t let on that the others think he’s a murderer._ She knocked on the door.  _No problem._

The door opened, revealing Snape on the other side. “Good evening, Ms. Hexington. Come in.”

“Good evening, Professor Snape.” She entered the classroom and glanced around.

Everything looked the same as it always did, but there was no way she could investigate anything with Snape here with her.

He gestured to the pile of cauldrons on the far side of the room. “You will clean those out by hand.”

“Yes, sir.” Sylvia moved toward the cauldrons but paused in her stride halfway. “Actually, before I start, Professor Snape, there’s a problem I’m wondering you could help me with?”

He shut the door. “What is it, Ms. Hexington?”

“Well, I was talking to–” She cleared her throat. “Uh, talking to one of my friends, and they’ve become a little… um, paranoid.”

Snape raised an eyebrow. “Paranoid about what, Ms. Hexington?”

“They’re worried about whether or not Hogwarts is safe?” She bit her lip. “I mean, in the past two days, a mountain troll broke into the school, and Potter’s broom was jinxed during the match.”

“Yes, well, I assure you that the troll incident was an unexpected occurrence. Hogwarts is the safest place you and your friends could possibly be.” He walked over to his desk. “Now, get to work, Ms. Hexington; otherwise, we’ll be here all night.”

“Yes, sir.” Sylvia made her way over to the cauldrons.  _He dodged my comment about Harry at the match, but that’s still not enough to prove that he’s guilty._

She placed the first cauldron on a spare desk before putting on the gloves that had been set aside for her. Grabbing the rag and bar of soap, she began scrubbing off the residue. Whatever had been brewed within it smelled rotten, and she had to cover her nose with her sleeve the entire time. Once she finished, she moved on to the second cauldron, which didn’t smell as bad.

She glanced at Snape, who was busy marking assignments. “Professor Snape, um, there’s something else I thought you could help me with?”

He looked up from his work. “Yes, Ms. Hexington?”

“Uh, do you believe in blood purity? I mean, I suppose it’s a stupid question given how highly Mr. Malfoy spoke of you.” She furrowed her brow. “It’s just that I don’t see things the way Draco and the others do. I feel like I don’t belong here, in Slytherin house, I mean.”

Snape was silent for a moment before returning his attention to his work. “No, Ms. Hexington, blood purity isn’t everything. As for your discomfort with your place in this house, the sorting hat does not make mistakes.”

“But–” she began, but he held up his hand to silence her.

“You were placed in Slytherin house because the sorting hat detected the right traits within you, which aren’t exclusive to an obsession with blood purity.” He stood and walked over to her. “However, despite how you truly feel, you are still a member of pure-blood society, and you share your house with Mr. Malfoy and others who believe in the old ways.”

“Then what do I do? I’ve already made such a mess of things, and my real family didn’t have a great reputation to begin with.” Sylvia sighed. “All this pure-blood stuff goes against everything I was taught. At first, I thought it was just the way this world worked, but after coming to Hogwarts, I know what the Malfoys told me isn’t true. At least, not completely.”

Snape placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her an understanding nod. “You must be smart about how you carry yourself, Ms. Hexington, and know when to pick your battles. You cannot hex every student who says something you don’t like.”

“But they’re not just saying something I don’t like. They’re outright bullies.” She frowned. “Draco stole Longbottom’s rememberall, has tried to get Potter and Weasley in trouble multiple times, and tries to control everything I do. And the others always insult my real family for being blood-traitors.”

“I realize that, Ms. Hexington. Although, in the case of Mr. Potter and his friends, mischief is a family trait, and Gryffindors have a tendency to cause it,” he said with a bitter tone. “In your case, however, you’re going to have to learn to play by the rules. As I said, be smart and pick your battles.”

“Thank you, Professor.” Sylvia nodded and continued cleaning the cauldrons.

About an hour and a half later, she finally finished the last cauldron, and Snape walked over to check her work.

He swiped his finger along the bottom of the cauldron before rubbing his fingers together. “Hmm. Not a spot to be seen. If only your performance in my class were as skilled as your cleaning ability.”

Sylvia rubbed the back of her head and gave him an uneasy smile. “Uh, I used to have younger siblings.”

“Your detention is over, Ms. Hexington. You may return to the common room,” he said.

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Taking off her gloves, she placed them next to the rag and soap and headed for the door.

“Oh, and Ms. Hexington?” Snape said.

She stopped in the doorway. “Yes, Professor Snape?”

“Tell your paranoid friend to focus on their classes. There’s no sense in getting worked up over past events they cannot change. And know that I, along with the rest of the staff, will ensure that another incident like the troll won’t happen again.” Snape nodded to her and returned to his desk. “Goodnight, Ms. Hexington.”

“Yes. Goodnight, sir.” Sylvia furrowed her brow and returned to the common room.  _There’s no way Snape tried to kill Harry. I’ll check in with the others tomorrow._


	15. The Wrong Side

Sylvia found a spot at the end of the Slytherin table and sat down. It was still pretty early in the morning, and so far, only a few staff members and students were in the Great Hall.

_At least I’ll have a small moment of peace and quiet before the others get here._ She started gathering some toast and fruit onto her plate.

“Oi, Hexington.”

Barely turning her head, Sylvia saw Farley walking over from the corner of her eye. “What now?”

“It’s alright, Hexington. You’re not in any trouble,” Farley said.

She clenched her fork and heaved a deep breath to shake off her nerves. “Then what is it?”

Farley sat beside her. “Listen, I know these past couple of days haven’t been easy on you. The politics of our world can be very complicated at times.”

She rolled her eyes. “What’s your point?”

“My point is that your actions have caused riffs within our house, and it’s my job to help maintain order. While I personally don’t agree with your choices, I don’t believe you deserve to be bullied for it.” Farley briefly glanced toward the window before meeting Sylvia’s gaze. “If you have any problems with Malfoy and the others, I want you to come to me. Alright?”

Hearing the sympathy in the fifth year’s voice, Sylvia shook her head and stared at her plate. “It’s not that simple.”

“I suppose not. Just know that I’m here if you need someone.” Farley smiled before returning to her seat with the other prefects.

Sylvia shifted her gaze from Farley to the staff table where Snape was chatting with Quirrell, Binns, and Flitwick. She was thankful, knowing that the authority figures of her house were offering support, and she thought back to the advice Snape had given her.

_“Be smart and know when to pick your battles. Learn to play along.”_

_I don’t understand._ She sighed and took a bite from her toast.  _Draco and the others will never understand me, and I don’t want to act they way they do anymore._

Feeling eyes on her, Sylvia glanced back at the staff table, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Quirrell was staring at her, and his gaze was so intense, it looked like he was trying to burn holes into her soul. Her head began to throb the longer he stared, but within a few seconds, he broke the connection and excused himself from the staff table.

Shivering, Sylvia rubbed the side of her head and felt the ache slowly subside. _What was that?_ _I swear there’s something strange about Professor Quirrell._

Before she could ponder the matter further, more students entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Draco and the boys passed by her without saying a word. Sylvia hoped that she was going to endure another day of silent treatment, but her hopes were dashed when she heard Pansy’s shrill voice.

“Ugh, how dare you stink up our table with your horrid stench, Blood-traitor.” Pansy sneered at her. “Why don’t go over to the Gryffindor table with your new filthy friends?”

“I fine where I am, thanks,” Sylvia said.

Millicent curled her nose, her lips pressing into a frown. “Look at her. She doesn’t feel an ounce of shame.”

Daphne nodded. “Yeah, doesn’t even care that she’s dragging poor Malfoy’s reputation through the mud.”

Remaining silent, Tracy walked away from the girls and sat by herself.

“Hexington even made the half-blood upset.” Pansy snorted. “How can you be so daft and selfish? I hope the Malfoys come to their senses and toss you out.”

Sylvia groaned. “Look, Parkinson, all I want to do is eat my breakfast in peace. If you have problem, take it up with Farley or Professor Snape.”

“Whatever.” Pansy rolled her eyes. “Come on, girls. Let’s not waste anymore precious time with this traitor.”

Sylvia continued eating, and eventually saw Harry, Hermione, and Ron enter the Great Hall. Harry spotted her and waved, which she happily returned, and she ignored the glares being shot her way by her housemates.

_The only thing I’m gonna do from this point on is stay true to my morals._ She nodded to herself.  _I don’t care what anyone says._

An hour later, the students began to depart from the Great Hall for class. Sylvia slung her rucksack over her shoulder and walked over to the Gryffindor table. Some of the Gryffindors eyed her with distaste, particularly Seamus and Dean. She narrowed her eyes, daring them to insult her for stepping near their territory, but they held their tongues and stomped off to class.

“Morning, all.” She smiled at the trio.

Harry turned around. “Oh. Morning, Sylvia. How are you?”

“As best as I can be. You guys don’t mind if I walk with you to Potions?” she said.

Hermione stood. “Not at all.”

“So, how did things go with Malfoy?” Ron said.

Sylvia shrugged. “Just had to serve detention last night, and my house hates me. No big deal.”

“Detention? For what?” Harry said.

“Draco snitched on me to Snape, but don’t worry. It wasn’t that bad,” she said.

Ron scoffed. “Git.”

Harry glanced toward the staff table with a frown. “Snape had no right. You were only defending yourself.”

“Actually, he does have the right, but like I said, it’s fine.” Sylvia nodded toward the door. “Anyway, we should get a move on before we’re late.”

Hermione shifted her gaze back and forth at the students walking past them before leaning over the table to whisper, “Speaking of which, did you find any information about what we discussed?”

“I’ll explain later once we can go somewhere private,” Sylvia said.

The four of them made their way downstairs into the dungeons. Entering the classroom, Sylvia joined the Gryffindors on their side of the room.

Hermione sat down and gestured to the spot beside her. “Would you like to partner up with me, Sylvia?”

“Sure, but I warn you–” She sat next to her. “This isn’t my best subject.”

Ron chuckled and nodded toward the Slytherin side of the room. “Looks like someone’s sore.”

Sylvia glanced up and saw that Draco was glaring at them. His gaze met hers, and she could detect the anger and betrayal in his eyes. However, after witnessing his behavior since they arrived at Hogwarts, she just didn’t have it in her to feel sorry. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he scowled at her before returning his attention to Crabbe and Goyle.

“Just ignore him.” Sylvia began setting up her cauldron.

Hermione shifted her gaze between Draco and Sylvia. “What’s the deal with you two anyway? Why is he so… I guess  _possessive_ would be the right word?”

“Oh… I never told you, did I?” Seeing her shake her head, Sylvia continued, “I live with the Malfoys, and unfortunately, his father told him to look after me while we’re at school. A task he’s taking much too seriously.”

“I can’t imagine what it must be like living with a git like him,” Ron said.

“Actually, it’s great. I get to stay in a big, fancy manor, and they provide me with anything I need.” She sighed. “The problem is that I just don’t see things the same way they do. I must admit, after everything Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy did for me, I do feel a bit guilty, but it was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Snape entered the classroom and made his way to the front. “I suspect that all of you have finished the assignment due this morning?”

Everyone started taking out their essays, and Sylvia raised an eyebrow at how long Hermione’s was.

“Don’t you think you overdid it a bit, Hermione? The requirements were only a foot and a half,” she said.

“I know, but there was so much information about the Forgetfulness Potion and its ingredients that I wanted to make sure I covered everything.” She stood and walked over to Snape’s desk.

Sylvia followed her and turned in her essay as well. Snape’s gaze lingered on her for a bit before glancing toward the other Gryffindors.

“I see you’re not sitting with your housemates today, Ms. Hexington,” he said.

“Uh….” She lowered her head, her hands folding in front of her. “I’m just making friends, Professor Snape. They asked me to sit with them.”

“Very well, but don’t forget what I told you,” he said.

“Yes, sir.” She returned to her seat.

….

Later that evening, Harry, Hermione, and Ron took Sylvia to visit Hagrid at his hut on the outskirts of the school grounds. Unfortunately, the groundskeeper was absent, so they decided to camp out on the grass and wait for him. Ron pulled out a rat from his rucksack and rested the creature in his lap.

Sylvia grimaced at sight of it. “I’m pretty sure the letter said to bring an owl, cat, or toad.”

“Well, Scabbers is the exception.” Ron smiled at his pet. “Been in my family for ten years. Belonged to my brother Percy until mum bought him an owl for making prefect.”

“Oh, so you have three older brothers?” She gave an uneasy laugh while taking out her Charms textbook and turning to the assigned chapter. “I don’t envy you.”

“Five actually.” Ron stared up at the sky while he counted them off. “My eldest brother, Bill, works as a curse breaker in Egypt, and Charlie just graduated last year. He began working with dragons in Romania. Then there’s Percy, Fred and George, and my little sister, Ginny, but she’s still at home.”

_And I thought my step-family was big_ . She started reading her textbook. “Still don’t envy you.”

Hermione sat beside her. “So what did you learn about Snape?”

Not looking up from her book, she gave a brief shrug. “He’s innocent.”

Ron set Scabbers on the grass beside him. “Like bloody hell, he is.”

Harry flinched, almost like someone had shocked him, and he touched his forehead. “There’s no way.”

Sylvia looked up. “Are you alright, Harry?”

“It’s his scar,” Hermione said.

“Scar?” Sylvia recalled hearing that Harry had been marked in someway by the Dark Lord, but she hadn’t been curious enough to ask him about it.

Harry pushed his messy hair aside, revealing a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. “I don’t know why, but it’s been burning every now and then.”

She glanced over his face, noticing how deep the scar was embedded into his skin. “And how long has it been burning? I’ve seen you rub your forehead a lot before.”

“And how do you know how often he does it?” Ron said.

“Uh….” She returned her attention to her book, doing her best to hide her face behind it. “Nothing. Just being observant. Anyway, you don’t have to believe me about Snape, but it’s the truth. Besides, why would the Headmaster allow someone into the school who’d want to kill Harry of all people? Unless, of course, Mr. Malfoy was right about Dumbledore being unfit for the position?”

“An’ what does that slimy tosser know?” Hagrid walked up behind her. “Dumbledore’s the bes’ thin’ to ever happen to this school, an’ don’ yeh forget it.”

“Oh, Hagrid.” Harry pointed to her. “This is Sylvia.”

“I know who she is, ‘Arry.” The groundskeeper beamed at the trio. “Been acquainted the ‘Exin’tons durin’ my time. A noble yet flighty bunch.”

“Hmph.” Sylvia shoved her book into her rucksack before standing up.

Harry stood. “Hagrid, we need to speak with you about something important.”

“Alrigh’ then, let’s get inside and out o’ range o’ any wanderin’ ears.” Hagrid opened the door to his hut and let everyone inside.

Sylvia glanced around and grimaced a little. Hagrid’s home wasn’t glamorous like Malfoy Manor, nor did it have the simplistic charm of her home on Airbender Island. It was cramped, cluttered with too many odds and ends, and very unkempt. Hearing a low howl, she saw a black dog, who seemed to be a bit old in years, walk up to the groundskeeper in greeting.

“‘Ello, Fang.” Hagrid petted the dog before gesturing to the various chairs. “‘Ave a seat, yeh lot. I’ll put a pot o’ tea on.”

Hermione took her spot on the red, comfy chair, Harry and Sylvia sat on the wooden chairs, and Ron sat on a stool next to Fang. Once Hagrid had the tea started, he sat down at the small round table in the center of the hut.

“Now, what’s the matter, ‘Arry?” he said.

Harry bit his lip. “We think Snape placed a curse on my broomstick during the match.”

“And by  _we_ , Harry means the three of them because I don’t believe Professor Snape would try to kill a student,” Sylvia said.

Harry looked at her. “Hermione and Ron saw what happened, and all the evidence points to him.”

“Slow down, ‘Arry. Why would Snape place a curse on yer broom?” Hagrid said.

Hermione folded her arms. “Because spells, especially curses, require eye contact, and I didn’t see Snape blink once.”

“Oh, please.” Sylvia rolled her eyes. “For all you know, that broom Harry received could’ve been faulty, and Professor Snape was trying to keep him from splatting on the ground.”

“Rubbish. The Nimbus Two-Thousand is a top of the line broomstick,” Ron said. “There’s no way it’d behave like a couple of twigs some amateur strung together.”

“Sorry, yeh three, but I’m gonna have to side with ‘Exin’ton ‘ere.” Hagrid sighed. “Professor Snape is a Hogwarts teacher. ‘E’d never do anythin’ to ‘arm the school or a studen’.”

Sylvia nodded. “Thank you.”

“Then why was Professor Snape trying to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween?” Harry said.

She raised an eyebrow. “Three-headed dog?”

Hagrid’s eyes slightly widened. “Who told yeh ‘bout Fluffy?”

Hermione let out a small gasp at the groundskeeper’s term of endearment. “That thing has a name?”

“Course he does. Pup’s mine. Bough’ ‘im a year ago at a local pub, an’ then lent ‘im to Dumbledore to guard–” Hagrid said.

Harry’s eyes lit up with intrigue. “Yes?”

“Nothin’.” Hagrid quickly stood at the sound of the kettle whistling. “Oh, tea’s done.”

Sylvia narrowed her eyes at the trio. “Alright, what’s going on? First you accuse Professor Snape, and now you’re talking about a three-headed dog in the castle?”

Harry, Hermione, and Ron jumped a little in their seats, realizing she was still in the room with them. It was clear that there was more going on than a simple mishap at the match, and they hadn’t planned on including her.

Hermione shared a glance with Harry before sighing. “We found it on the third floor corridor.”

“But that’s forbidden. What the monkey-feathers were you three doing up there?” Sylvia said.

Ron scoffed. “It was Malfoy’s fault. After he challenged us to that duel, we were almost caught by Filch, and we had to hide up there to escape.”

She rolled her eyes, recalling the incident. “No offense, Ron, but as much as I hate it when Draco goes out of his way to cause trouble, you and Harry let him bait you too easily.”

“And what? We’re just supposed to let Malfoy be a pompous git?” Ron said.

“Yes.” She gave him a smug nod. “Trust me. It’s a bigger damage to Draco’s ego if you don’t give him what he wants. But more importantly, why does it matter if Professor Snape was on the third floor?”

“Because he’s limping,” Harry said with an air of overconfidence in his voice. “McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell found us in the girls’ lavatory after we defeated the troll. I noticed his leg was bleeding like he had been bit by something. It must’ve been the dog.”

“Quirrell was there?” She furrowed her brow.

“Now, that’s enough o’ that. All o’ yeh.” Hagrid handed each of them a cup of tea.

While Sylvia had managed to adjust to most of the cuisine in the Magical World, she wasn’t fond of their tea. They brewed everything too bland and added sugar and cream to compensate. Then again, after visiting Iroh’s tea shop in Ba Sing Se multiple times, anything would pale in comparison.

“Thank you, Hagrid, sir.” She took a sip.

“Yeh’re very welcome.” Hagrid returned to his seat. “‘Arry. ‘Ermione. Ron. Yeh three are meldin’ in thin’s that ought not be melded in. What that dog’s guardin’ is strictly between Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.”

Harry furrowed his brow and blinked. “Nicholas Flamel?”

Sylvia continued sipping her tea while she watched the groundskeeper’s eyes widen at his error, and he began berating himself for letting more information slip.

_So something important is being guarded in the school? But why are Harry, Hermione, and Ron so interested in it? Doesn’t seem like it’s our business._ She glanced up at one of the clocks and noticed that it was six-thirty. “We should return to the castle. It’s almost time for dinner.”

Hagrid glanced up at the clocks and stood. “Time flew righ’ by, didn’ it? Yeh four should head inside. Don’ wanna keep yeh.”

Setting her cup on the table, Sylvia slung her rucksack over her shoulder and made her way outside. However, after a few steps, she realized she was alone, and the trio were still lingering in the doorway, pestering the Hagrid.

“But, Hagrid, what about–” Harry began, but the groundskeeper was already shooing the trio out of the door.

“Don’ yeh worry ‘bout that ‘Arry, an’ jus’ forget anythin’ I said ‘ere. Alrigh’?” He shut the door.

The trio stared at the hut for a few moments before lowering their heads in defeat. Harry began walking toward Sylvia, and she could see a determined fire in his eyes. While the groundskeeper hadn’t revealed all of the information they would’ve liked, he still gave them one clue they could use.

Harry caught up with her and started leading the group back into the castle. “So have any of you heard of Nicholas Flamel?”

Hermione slowly followed, her gaze darting around at nothing in particular, but after a minute or so, she shook her head. “No. I can’t recall reading anything.”

Ron frowned, his brow knitting, and he stopped walking. “Hang on. The Card.”

“Card?” Sylvia said.

Searching his pockets, Ron pulled out a chocolate frog card and grinned. “Flamel was mentioned on Dumbledore’s card. Worked in Alchemy it says.”

“Does it give anymore information?” Harry said.

Ron glanced it over. “No.”

Sylvia twirled a finger in one of her hair loopies, her lips pressed tight at an angle. The name definitely sounded familiar. The Malfoys had several books on Alchemy, and she remembered glancing through a few of them out of curiosity.

Digging the memory from her subconscious, she snapped her fingers and smiled. “Wait, I’ve read about Flamel before.”

Ron turned and pocketed his card back into his robes. “Well, what are you waiting for? Out with it.”

She scanned over the trio with narrowed eyes before placing her hands behind her back, and she teased in a mischievous tone, “And why should I tell any of you?”

Hermione frowned. “Because it’s important. We have to know.”

“Funny. It seemed like the groundskeeper didn’t want you three to know anything.” She placed a hand to her chin. “But I guess I could tell you who Flamel is on one condition.”

“What?” Harry said.

“I want a full explanation about what’s going on in this school.” She pointed at the trio. “And what you three are up to.”

Ron folded his arms and shook his head. “No.”

Hermione looked at him. “But, Ron, she’s already learned about the corridor.”

“Exactly, she’s heard enough,” he said.

She threw her arms in the air with a huff before looking at Harry.

He sighed. “Please, Sylvia. This is really important. You thanked me before for saving lives because I defeated You-Know-Who. This is your chance to help me do something similar.”

Sylvia met his begging, puppy-dog gaze and felt her face flush. After all of Tracy’s teasing, she couldn’t deny that she had a slight fancy toward Harry, but she wasn’t going to let that sway her. Whatever the trio was trying to do could be dangerous, and she’d feel much worse if they, especially Harry, got hurt because of her. He might’ve been the famous Boy Who Lived, but that didn’t make him invincible.

_My step-mum did always joke not to be blinded by the cute ones. When you try to give them a bowl of water, they’ll take the whole stream._ She shook her head. “If you want my help, I deserve to know what kind of trouble you’re gonna cause, so I can decide for myself if it’s worth getting into.”

“We can’t tell you. Not until we’re sure,” Harry said, disappointment gleaming in his eyes.

“Good luck figuring it out on your own then.” Sylvia grinned. “Not that you’ll have a chance to. I’m sure the professors would love to hear about your little mission.”

“What?” Harry gasped. “You wouldn’t?”

“I would.” She folded her arms.

Ron glared at her. “See, Harry. This is why you don’t make friends with Slytherins. They’re back-stabbing, underhanded–”

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “Well, forgive me for not wanting to see my friends end up expelled, or worse dead. Not that you’ve been great friends so far. Using me to spy on and convict my Head of House isn’t exactly nice.”

“She’s right.” Hermione sighed. “Alright, we’ll tell you what we know, but you must keep this secret until we can figure everything out.”

“Fair enough, but not now. If we stay out any longer we’ll be late for dinner.” Sylvia pointed toward the top of the castle. “Meet me on the Astronomy Tower at three tomorrow.”

The trio shared glances before nodding. Ron narrowed his eyes at Sylvia, and she could sense the aura of distrust radiating off of him. For some reason, the trio thought they were special enough to accuse people of murder and snoop around the school, and a part of her was tempted to snitch.

_Let’s see what they tell me first_. Sylvia smiled and walked inside of the castle. “See all of you tomorrow then.”


	16. Good or Evil

Sylvia leaned against the balcony of the Astronomy Tower while she waited for Harry, Hermione, and Ron. She hoped they showed, for she could tell they were still hesitant about the idea of including her in their plans.

_I wonder what the big mystery is? Surely, it couldn’t be anything too dangerous?_ Hearing footsteps, she glanced back toward the stairs and saw the trio. “There you three are. You’re late.”

“So what? Are you gonna give us deten–” Ron’s eyes widened, and he gasped at her before bursting out into a fit of laughter. “Bloody hell, what happened to your hair?”

Sylvia frowned and tugged at one of her hair loopies, which had, along with the rest of her hair, been dyed bright blue. “Had a run in with Parkinson on my way here, but not to worry. Madame Pomfrey was able to get rid of the boils, and she said the color should wear out in a few hours.”

“What happened?” Ron glared at her, but he was laughing so hard that he failed at looking even remotely intimidating. “Try to double-cross your housemates too?”

“Parkinson’s had it out for me since school started.” She set her rucksack on the floor and sat down. “ _This_ is because I made friends with you three, and the others are determined to punish me for being such a filthy blood-traitor.”

Ron stopped laughing, his face paling a little. Given how much the Malfoys mocked his family, Sylvia was certain he was very familiar with the term.

“Oh–” His voice faltered, almost squeaking. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Harry furrowed his brow. “What does Blood-traitor mean?”

“It’s a term for pure-bloods like Ron and I who associate with wizards and witches who are lesser and muggles,” Sylvia said.

His eyebrows raised while he frowned and slouched back against the inner railing of the tower. “That’s horrible. They can’t bully you just because–”

She held up her hand. “I’ll be fine. I managed to get one of our prefects on my side, and pig-mule Parkinson has already been given detention.”

Hermione sat down, her lips pursed tightly, and she retrieved a few books from her rucksack. “Honestly, how can anyone believe in such vile thinking?”

“There’s been a lot of bad blood between our kind and muggles. It’s understandable,” Sylvia said.

Hermione’s face went red, and she slammed her books down. “Understandable! How can you sympathize with them? Look at what they did to you just for befriending us!”

“I didn’t say it was right. I only meant I can see where they’re coming from.” Sylvia glanced at the sky. “If everything is supposed to be so great between our kind and muggles, then why does our world have to exist in secrecy?”

Harry blinked and looked to Hermione and Ron.

Ron thought for a minute. “Because it’s the law.”

Hermione nodded. “Exactly. The International Statute of Secrecy was established in 1692–”

“And it was established because the muggles had decided our kind was a threat. They hunted us down to kill us.” Sylvia’s austere gaze washed over the trio. “Mostly children. Sometimes they’d even try to enslave us, so they could use our abilities for their own ends.”

Ron stared at the floor, his mouth agape. “My mum always warned us about not being seen, but she never explained how dangerous it used to be.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “You’d know if you bothered to pay attention in History of Magic. We were assigned the chapter yesterday.”

Harry looked at Sylvia. “So you think Malfoy and the others are justified because of something that happened centuries ago?”

“No. My point is that muggles have dealt as many scars as we have with those vicious wars Grindelwald and the Dark Lord started, and those kind of wounds don’t heal overnight.” She sighed. “And our code of secrecy doesn’t help things. I mean, how can anyone expect two different worlds to be accepting of each other when they’re segregated?”

Sylvia returned her attention to the sky and watched it haze over with a golden glow from the setting sun. If the Magical and Elemental World weren’t segregated as well, she’d still be with her step-family. She would’ve known she was a witch all along, and she wouldn’t have had to run away to learn the truth. Her step-family would’ve been in Diagon Alley, watching her obtain her wand, and they would’ve seen her off on the Hogwarts Express.

_And I would be looking forward to spending the holiday with them. Telling Kya and Bumi all about my adventures and new friends._ She rested her cheek against her hand and sighed.  _Instead, I’ll never see them again because the Spirits banned both worlds from interacting with each other._

Harry chewed his lip, his brow knitted. “Who’s Grindelwald?”

She looked up. “The dark wizard before Volde–”

Ron cringed. “Don’t say his name.”

“Anyway, Grindelwald was defeated by the Headmaster decades ago.” Sylvia looked at the trio with a playful smile. “Now onto the real reason we’re up here.”

“So what do you know about Nicholas Flamel?” Harry walked over and sat down beside her.

“Not so fast, Harry.” She shook her index finger at him. “You three tell me what’s going on first, and then I’ll talk.”

He pouted at her resistance, but she didn’t care. She had learned after several years of dealing with Bumi and Kya to never give up her end of the bargain first.

“Alright, it started last summer when I was shopping with Hagrid in Diagon Alley. We visited Gringotts, so I could take out some money for supplies, but–” Harry furrowed his brow. “Hagrid also withdrew something. Said it was Hogwarts business. Very secret.”

Hermione retrieved a copy of the Daily Prophet from her rucksack and showed it to Sylvia. “We came across this near the beginning of term. There had been a break in at Gringotts, but nothing had been stolen.”

“It was the same vault Hagrid and I visited,” Harry said.

Sylvia glanced over the newspaper. “Well, I’d assume the answer would be obvious. Someone wanted whatever was in that vault, but Hagrid had already taken it before that person could steal it.”

Hermione nodded. “And we believe what was in the vault is the same thing Fluffy’s guarding on the third floor.”

“And why do you three want to know what it is? You heard the groundskeeper yesterday. Whatever’s going on is clearly none of our business.” Sylvia folded her arms and leaned back against the wall behind her. “I’m sure the professors and the Headmaster know what they’re doing.”

Harry shook his head. “That’s the problem. Snape’s trying to steal it. He’s the one who let the troll in as a diversion, so he could get past Fluffy.”

“What?” And how do you know it’s him? Where’s the proof?” Sylvia said.

“I just know, alright?” Harry said.

“You just know?” She gave him a deadpan stare, her eyebrow slightly raised. “I’m sure the adults will completely accept that.”

“Well, who else could it be?” Ron frowned. “Now stop stalling. We held up our end. It’s your turn.”

“Alright, fair enough. From what I recall reading, Nicholas Flamel is a French Alchemist, who was born during the Middle-Ages, and he is the first and only to create the Philosopher’s Stone. It possesses several abilities, including making the user immortal.” Sylvia said.

Harry and Ron gasped. “Immortal?”

“Yes. You can create a potion called the Elixir of Life from it, and it seems to work since Flamel’s over six-hundred-years old,” she said.

Hermione furrowed her brow. “That must be what Fluffy’s guarding. The Philosopher’s Stone. The question is why Snape wants it.”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? Who wouldn’t want to be immortal?” Ron said.

“But it has to be more complicated than that.” Harry looked at Sylvia. “Maybe there’s a way you–”

“How would I be able to figure that out without raising suspicion? Besides, I still don’t believe it’s Professor Snape.” She groaned. “And even if we  _think_ that the Philosopher’s Stone is hidden in the school, do you three even have a plan?”

“Simple.” Harry stood. “We make sure Snape never gets his hands on the store.”

“And once again, what makes you so sure it’s Professor Snape?” Sylvia stood up and placed her hands on her hips. “We need proper evidence not just your instincts.”

“I don’t know. Maybe the fact that Snape goes out of his way to torment me and the other Gryffindors. I mean, you’ve seen how he acts in Potions,” Harry said.

Sylvia thought back to her conversation with Snape during detention. He had little to no concern about Draco’s bullying of the trio and even claimed that mischief ran in Harry’s family. In fact, Snape seemed very bitter and spiteful toward Harry in general. Her Head of House was always looking for opportunities to berate him or take away house points from the Gryffindors.

“All that proves is that Professor Snape doesn't like you or Gryffindors for that matter.” She glanced away.  _But does he dislike Harry enough to kill him?_

“How about the fact that Snape’s the Head of Slytherin House?” Ron scoffed. “In case you didn’t notice while you were being pampered by the Malfoys, Sylvia, but all of You-Know-Who’s followers came from that house. For all we know, Snape is one of them and is out to kill Harry for revenge.”

“That’s–” Sylvia paused, her words failing her. “That’s not true.”

“It is whether you believe it or not.” Ron folded his arms. “Like I said before, there’s no dark witch nor wizard who wasn’t in Slytherin.”

“So does that make me one as well?” She glared at him. “Guess you three better leave before I murder you where you stand.”

“Ron, stop.” Harry looked at her. “He didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did he mean?” She narrowed her eyes. “Besides, Professor Snape told me he doesn’t believe in blood purity, so why would he follow the Dark Lord?”

“See?” Ron pointed at her. “Only his followers called him that.”

“Listen–” Sylvia grabbed her rucksack and slung it over her shoulder. “We are in no position to make accusations, and until you three find proper evidence, I don’t want any part in this.”

“Fine.” Harry gathered his things and looked at Hermione and Ron. “I have to meet with Wood for Quidditch practice, so we’ll discuss this in the common room later.”

Ron looked at Sylvia. “And you better remember not to tell anyone about this.”

Sylvia rolled her eyes. “Trust me. I don’t want to.”

The four of them headed downstairs, and reaching the seventh floor, they heard someone scream. The voice was a bit whiny and high-pitched, but they could still tell it was a man. They lingered at the bottom of the stairway and peered around the corner. The corridor was empty, but they could hear the echoes of someone whimpering from another part of the floor.

Ron continued to scan the area, and his voice trembled when he spoke. “Blimey, what do you think that is?”

“Maybe it’s one of the ghosts?” Sylvia said.

Harry stepped out into the corridor, his brow furrowed. “It sounds like Professor Quirrell.”

Hermione stepped out after him. “Sounds like he’s in trouble.”

“Come on, let’s go.” Harry rushed down the corridor.

Ron and Hermione chased after him, but Sylvia was hesitant to follow. Quirrell had been acting too strange for this to be a random occurrence. It was possible that he was in trouble, but he could also be the one causing the trouble. The trio had already disappeared around the next corner by the time Sylvia decided to follow them. She took her time, making small, quiet steps, and retrieved her wand from her pocket just in case. However, she noticed the whimpering had stopped and frantic footsteps were coming toward her.

The pitter-patter against the floor sounded like one person, but it was also to heavy too be Harry, Hermione, or Ron. Sylvia took a deep breath and quickly pocketed her wand. She couldn’t jump to conclusions. It was probably just an older student or a professor.

As she saw a tall figure shuffle around the corner, her suspicions were confirmed; however, it was the last person she wanted to see. Quirrell was heading her way. He looked paler than usual, and his whole body was shaking like he had been spooked by something really scary. His gaze was cast toward the floor while he muttered under his breath, and he didn’t seem to notice Sylvia was there.

Instincts taking over, she quickly hid behind one of the suits of armor. A part of her felt stupid for hiding from a teacher, but the other part didn’t trust Quirrell. There was definitely something off about him, and the last thing she wanted was to be trapped in a corridor with him.

_“Do not harm the girl. I plan to collect her.”_

Sylvia’s eyes widened, and she clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle her gasp. It was the same deep, hissing voice she had heard countless times, and now there was no mistaking it. Quirrell nodded in reply to the voice, but where was it coming from?

_It can’t be a ghost. I’d be able to see it._ She retreated until her back hit the wall.  _Maybe Quirrell has one of those personality disorders?_

“But, Master, Severus has caught on to us,” Quirrell clasped his hands together while he paced back and forth.

Sylvia raised an eyebrow at the professor’s lack of stuttering. His voice was so crisp that no one would think he had a speech impediment.

_“Let Severus do as he pleases. Your only concern is to find me the stone, and do not fail me again.”_

“Yes, Master.” Quirrell continued down the corridor.

Sylvia waited until he was gone before stepping out from behind the suit of armor.  _Quirrell is the one who’s after the stone? And who is this Master he’s talking to? It has to be a different person, but…._

She rushed in the direction the trio had scurried off to, and after turning a few corners, she paused at the sound of Snape’s drawling voice.

“Studying in the Astronomy Tower? A story I’d like to believe, Potter, except I don’t see Ms. Hexington with you.” Snape narrowed his eyes at the trio.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron searched around, probably just realizing that she hadn’t followed them. Sylvia remained hidden behind the corner. The trio were clearly in trouble for snooping around where they shouldn’t have been, and she wasn’t in the mood for another detention.

“Well, she–” Harry began.

“Twenty points from Gryffindor, and I suggest the three of you return to your common room before I take any more,” Snape said.

_I think that’s my cue to leave._ Sylvia slipped back around the corner and made her way to the staircase.  _But what am I gonna do? No one’s going to believe I’ve been hearing voices, let alone that something’s wrong with Quirrell._

Reaching the dungeons, she headed to the trap door and recited the password. She entered the common room and walked over to the vacant couches by the fireplace.

_Let’s just try to consider this with a level head. If Quirrell is after the Philosopher’s Stone, then he or someone he hired broke into Gringotts. He also must’ve been the one who let the mountain troll in._ Sylvia sat down and reclined against the leather fabric.  _It makes sense, considering Quirrell was the one who warned us about it. Now, who is his Master?_

She recalled the mysterious voice’s words.

_“Do not harm the girl. I plan to collect her.”_

_That voice has mentioned a boy and girl before, but I don’t think it’s ever said their names._ She furrowed her brow.  _Then again, Harry’s scar burns whenever we’re in Quirrell’s class. Is the voice referring to him?_

“There you are.”

Sylvia looked up and saw Draco standing by the couch with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. “What difference does it make to you where I am?”

Draco stepped around the armrest and tossed himself onto the empty spot next to her. “Because Parkinson’s been boasting about sending you to the hospital all afternoon.”

“Is that so?” She turned away from him. “I didn’t realize you cared.”

“Don’t give me that. You started this.” He frowned. “And I have yet to hear an apology.”

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at him. “And what makes you think you deserve one?”

Draco pursed his lips together until they disappeared into a thin line before looking at Crabbe and Goyle. “Leave us.”

The two gaped at each other, unsure of what to do with themselves, before shuffling off to another part of the common room. Draco glanced around to make sure no one else was within earshot, and standing up, he tossed a letter and a tiny parcel in Sylvia’s lap. She looked at the name on the address, her heart skipping a beat. Had he already snitched on her? She looked to him for reassurance, but he gave her a cold stare. Sighing, she opened the envelope and read the letter.

“Mrs. Malfoy hopes that I’ve been adjusting after spending so much time in the Muggle World. She wants to know how I’ve been doing in class, and if I made any new friends. She looks forward to seeing us both during the Christmas holiday and wishes me well.” Sylvia furrowed her brow before looking at Draco with wide eyes. “You… you didn’t tell them?”

He tilted his head up and grinned. “Looks like I’m not as much of a bully as you think.”

“The problem is that you’re a bully at all. Look, if you don’t want to associate with muggle-borns and what not, fine.” Refolding the letter, she placed it in its envelope, and she stuck it and the tiny parcel into her rucksack. “But that doesn’t mean you can go around stealing, causing trouble, calling people vile names, or jinxing Longbottom every chance you get.”

“I can do whatever I want.” He shrugged. “And in Longbottom’s case, I say he needs to stop being such a ninny. It’s all in good fun.”

“All in good fun, huh? The muggles who used to bully me thought the same.” She glared at him. “As you already know, you should consider yourself lucky that Harry and the others are much nicer than I was.”

“Yes, I’m aware, and I suppose I should thank you for not blowing me up,” he said.

“Is there a point to all of this?” Sylvia turned her attention toward the fireplace. “What are you trying to prove?”

Groaning, Draco sat beside her again, and a tense silence fell between them. Sylvia glanced at him while he slouched against the corner of the couch. His head leaned against his right hand, and his left arm lazily rested on his stomach. His jaw twitched over and over, like he was grinding his teeth, and his mouth drooped into a deep scowl.

“My parents took you in when they didn’t have to, you know?” Draco turned his head to look at her. “And I don’t have to look after you either.”

“You mean bossing me around?” she said.

“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “The point is that you could at least act more grateful.”

“I am very grateful, but that doesn’t mean I have to see things the way you do.” Sylvia sighed. “Can you at least be accepting of that?”

He scoffed. “And why should I be accepting of a blood-traitor? I’m trying to give you another chance, but if you’re going to be stubborn, then I  _am_ going to tell my parents.”

Draco moved to stand, but Sylvia grabbed his arm, stopping him. “No. I’ll tell them myself. I’ll send the letter tonight.”

He eyed her before nodding. “Fine, if that’s what you want. But I’ll review it once you’re done to make sure your story’s straight. Can’t have you lying on me, now can we?”

“Fair enough,” she said.

He stood and held out his hand. “Come on, we should head to dinner.”

She stared at his hand and raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re still willing to be polite to a blood-traitor?”

“You know very well I wasn’t raised in a bin, Sylvia.” He smirked. “I’m willing to maintain some decorum with you until my parents toss you out on your arse.”

“Oh, well, in that case–” She smacked his hand away and stood up. “Save the fake civility for someone who cares,  _Malfoy_ . I think I’ll boast about my atrocious dishonor to you and your family at the Gryffindor table tonight.”

Sylvia pushed past Draco and strode up the stairs to the trap door, not caring to hear whatever retort he had for her.


	17. Her Place

Sylvia entered the Great Hall and made her way over to the Gryffindor table. Once again, she felt eyes on her, but she ignored them and sat right next to Harry.

He looked at her. “Where you’ve been?”

“Pardon?” She gathered some food onto her plate.

Ron narrowed his eyes. “You just disappeared upstairs. We got in trouble with Snape because you weren’t there to back us up.”

She shrugged. “I told you that I want no part in your project, and I meant it. You three rushing off and getting yourselves caught is not my fault nor my problem.”

He rolled his eyes. “What are you doing over here anyway?”

“Well, if you bothered to pay attention to your surroundings, you’d know the answer.” She gestured behind him.

Ron and Hermione glanced back to see the first year Slytherins glaring in their direction. However, Draco’s attention was fixated on Sylvia, and if looks could kill, she’d probably be dead at this point.

Harry whispered, “What did you do?”

“I told him off, that’s what.” She shrugged. “Look, I’ve never agreed with most of the things the Malfoys told me about our world, but after living in the Muggle-World all my life, I didn’t know any better. But being here at Hogwarts has showed me that they were wrong. And my perspective goes both ways. It’s unjust to judge people by blood purity, but it’s just as stupid to judge people by what house they were sorted into.”

Sylvia glared at Ron while she took a sip of water, but the redhead scoffed and returned his attention to his meal.

Hermione gasped. “Hang on. You lived in the Muggle World?”

“Yes. I’ve only known the Malfoys for about a year.” Sylvia nodded. “Before that I was with my step-family.”

“Oh.” Ron’s eyes widened. “That explains a lot.”

“But what happened to your muggle family?” Hermione wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Not to pry, but–”

“It’s okay.” Sylvia twirled her fork around on her plate. “I was causing my step-family so much trouble with my accidental magic that, in the end, I felt like a burden on them. And when I found out I was adopted, I figured the best thing for all of us was to leave. So I ran away and tried to find my real family. Turns out they’re dead.”

“Then how did you end up with the Malfoys?” Harry said.

“Mr. And Mrs. Malfoy were friends with my real mother.” She looked at him. “I guess they pitied me enough despite my real father’s family being blood-traitors.”

He shifted his gaze from her to the Slytherin table. “And what are they gonna say when they find out you jinxed their son to make friends with us?”

She grimaced a little. “I’m trying not to think about it.”

“If they hurt you–” Harry said.

“Relax, Harry. They’ll probably be disappointed and send me to my room like my step-parents used to.” She gave them an uneasy smile. “Or maybe once I explain myself they’ll understand.”

“Hopefully.” Hermione furrowed her brow.

….

The next morning Narcissa and Lucius were having breakfast in the dining hall, and she noticed their son’s eagle-owl swoop into the room. It landed on top of the chair next to her and held out its foot.

“Thank you, Orion.” Narcissa retrieved the envelope.

The eagle-owl hooted before flying off into another part of the manor.

She opened the envelope. “Oh Look, Sylvia sent a letter.”

Lucius looked up. “Everything is going well I presume?”

“Well, let me see….” She read the letter, and the further she went, the more her blood-pressure raised.

He noticed her expression. “What’s the matter, dear?”

Placing a hand over her chest, she handed him the letter without a word, and while he read it, she saw his face stiffen into a stern glare. Taking out his wand, he sent the letter into the fireplace.

“I told you we should’ve sent them to Durmstrang.” He sucked in a breath through his teeth and ran a hand through his hair. “They wouldn’t have been placed under such poor influence, especially Sylvia.”

“Nonsense, Lucius.” Narcissa shook her head. “We need to give her more time to come around. She’s spent her whole life in the horrible Muggle World, and it’s clear that she’s confused. Besides, you know we can’t just abandon her.”

“I know.” Lucius sighed. “We’ll allow Sylvia her fun for now, but when the holiday comes, it’s time to set her straight.”

….

Snow covered Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds, turning it into a winter wonderland. The first term had come and gone, and soon it was time for the students to return home for the Christmas holiday. While this was meant to be a time of joy and togetherness, all Sylvia could feel was dread and uncertainty. She had never received a reply from Lucius or Narcissa, and she could only ponder what that meant.

She made her way through the crowded common room with her trunk in hand. It had been decorated with a Christmas tree and ornaments that sparkled with colors of silver and green. She had to admit it was very beautiful, but she didn’t relate to these foreign holidays.

Sylvia glanced toward the window where Pansy, Daphne, Millicent, and Tracy were chatting. Feeling eyes on them, the girls looked in her direction and glared at her. Sighing, she headed upstairs to the Great Hall for the end of term feast, and when she reached the Hall, she spotted Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table. They were playing wizard chess, and if Sylvia gave it her best guess, Ron was winning.

“Good morning, Harry. Ron.” She rested her trunk against the bench and sat beside Harry. “Happy Christmas.”

Harry looked at her and smiled. “Morning, Sylvia. Happy Christmas.”

“Morning, Sylvia.” Ron glanced up, and his gaze shifted to her trunk. “I would say Happy Christmas, but given who you’re going home with, I’m not sure it will be.”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” she said.

“There you three are.”

They turned and saw Hermione approach them with her trunk in hand.

Ron frowned. “Finished packing already?”

Hermione glanced over his casual attire. “And you haven’t even started.”

“My parents decided to visit my brother, Charlie, in Romania, so I’m staying here,” he said.

Sylvia looked at Harry. “What about you? Did your aunt and uncle not want you home?”

Harry frowned. “It’s complicated, but I’d rather stay at Hogwarts, honestly.”

A rough hand snatched Sylvia by her arm and yanked her away from the trio. She jerked her arm out of the person’s grip and saw it was Draco. He gave her a stern look before glaring at Harry.

“Playtime’s over, Potter,” Draco spat. “Sylvia’s going back home where she belongs, and once my parents straighten her out, she won’t be friends with you or your filthy lot anymore.”

Sylvia felt a shiver run down her spine, and she wondered what Draco had been telling his parents in his letters. Once she was back at Malfoy Manor, there would be no room to disobey.

Harry stood. “Leave her alone. Sylvia clearly doesn’t want to be around you, or are you too thick-headed to understand that, Malfoy?”

“Sylvia doesn’t have a choice unless she wants to be thrown out on the pavement,” Draco said.

“It’s fine, Harry.” Sylvia placed a hand on his shoulder. “There’s no need for you to get into a fight over this.”

“At least she has some sense.” Draco nodded toward the Slytherin table. “Say goodbye, Sylvia. We’re leaving.”

Sylvia looked at Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who all had half angry and half worried expressions on their faces. “Goodbye. I hope you all have a good Christmas.”

Before anymore could be said, Draco grabbed Sylvia’s hand and dragged her over to the Slytherin table. It wasn’t long before the feast and festivities began. However, after that confrontation and the dreary fate that awaited her at Malfoy Manor, she had lost her appetite. She stared at her empty plate, wishing she could evaporate into thin air, so she wouldn’t have to return home.

Draco looked at her. “You should eat something.”

Sylvia turned away. “Don’t pretend to care, Malfoy. I don’t need it.”

“Fine, but don’t complain to me when you’re starving during the train ride home.”

She was about to retort when she remembered she didn’t have any money for the trolly. Only Draco had been given a small allowance for them to share, and as expected, he kept it all to himself. Hearing her stomach rumble, she frowned and started placing food onto her plate.

Once the feast ended, the departing students were led outside to the carriages. Sylvia followed Draco and the other boys to one of the carriages, and she froze, her attention glued to what was pulling it. They looked like black, skeletal horses.

Draco glanced back at her. “Hurry up, Sylvia, or else you’ll be left behind.”

Sylvia kept staring. “Sorry, I was just distracted by those horses. Don’t you think they’re strange?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What horses?”

“The ones standing right behind you. Don’t you see them?” she said.

He turned around and scanned the area before looking at her. “Clearly spending time around Potter has made you mental. There’s nothing there.”

“But I swear there is.” She looked at the others. “You all see the horses, don’t you?”

Crabbe and Goyle shook their heads, looking as dumbfounded as usual. Blaise rolled his eyes, and Theodore remained silent, his face paling.

“Enough games, Sylvia.” Draco grabbed her hand. “Get on the carriage already.”

After a brief ride over the frozen lake, the students arrived in Hogsmeade, and took the Hogwarts Express back to London. When the train arrived on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, everyone rushed out to reunite with families.

Sylvia slowly followed Draco onto the platform, her heart threatening to leap out of her chest. Lucius was waiting for them alone, and the moment she locked eyes with him, she regretted every decision she had made.

Draco smiled. “Hello, Father.”

Sylvia dropped her gaze to the floor. “Hello, Mr. Malfoy.”

“Hello, son. I hope your trip was pleasant. I’m sure you have so much to talk about.” Lucius smiled at him before narrowing his eyes at her. “And Sylvia…. It appears we have much to sort out.”

She gulped. “Mr. Malfoy, I–”

He held up his hands. “We will not have this discussion here. Both of you, follow me.”

Lucius led them back into Kings Cross station, and once they were out of sight of the muggles, they apparated to Malfoy Manor. Upon appearing in front of the wrought iron gates, Sylvia let go of Draco’s hand and steadied herself. She wasn’t sure if she was ever going to get used to the whole apparating thing. They quickly made their way into the manor, and Dobby was waiting for them in the entrance hall.

“Welcome home, Master, young Master, and Miss,” the elf said.

“Dobby, take care of Draco and Sylvia’s things,” Lucius said.

“Yes, Master. Right away.” Dobby took their trunks and made his way out of the hall.

Lucius looked at Draco and Sylvia. “Dinner will be ready shortly. In the meantime, Draco, you’re free to get yourself ready.”

Draco nodded. “Yes, Father.”

Sylvia saw Draco give her a smug grin before leaving the hall, and she glared at his retreating form. Lucius cleared his throat, startling her, and she looked up into his stern gaze.

“As for you, Sylvia–” He turned on his heel and headed to the right. “My study. Now.”

“Yes, sir.” She sighed and followed him.

Lucius led her to a large door in the west wing of the ground floor. He opened the door, allowing her to enter first. His study looked like a fancier version of the library. Although, she wondered if the selection of books and artifacts that filled the room were of questionable taste since the Malfoys weren’t taboo about the dark arts.

Lucius gestured to the chairs on the right side of the room. “Have a seat.”

Sylvia did as she was told and prepared herself for the worst.

He sat down opposite from her and looked down at her with a piercing gaze. “So would you care to explain yourself, Sylvia?”

She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“I believe it’s a little late for that.” His calm expression didn’t waiver. “We invited you into our home, our family, and this is how you repay us? By bringing shame onto our name with your treachery and attacking my son?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Malfoy. I understand that you and Mrs. Malfoy have done a lot for me when you didn’t have to, but I can’t keep pretending anymore. My muggle family always taught me to treat people fairly and to judge people for their actions, not things like nationality or blood. I… I know things are different here, but–”

He sighed. “I suppose I should’ve known that the few months you’ve spent with us wouldn’t completely undo your previous upbringing. However, that does not excuse your behavior, Sylvia. So long as you live under our roof, you will abide by our rules. Understood?”

Sylvia hesitated to respond for a few minutes before shaking her head. “But… none of this makes any sense. I made friends with Harry Potter himself, and even though he’s a half-blood, he’s a hero. Then there’s this girl, Hermione Granger. She’s only a muggle-born, but she’s absolutely brilliant. She’s the best in our year and has received top marks in everything.”

“Sylvia–” Lucius said.

“And I’ve even made friends with one of the Weasleys. You always go on about how poor they are, but so what? Being poor doesn’t make someone a bad person. And–”

“Sylvia, enough,” Lucius said.

“But why, Mr. Malfoy?” She stood. “Why do you want me to hate people who haven’t done anything wrong?”

“Sylvia, silence yourself!” He stood, towering over her. “I don’t care what your muggle family taught you, and I don’t care what your filthy friends said to confuse you. As a pure-blood witch, you will adhere to the rules of proper Wizarding society, or else you will face the consequences!”

_This isn't fair. Why can't I have the friends I want?_ Sylvia sighed and plopped back into her chair. 

_“Be smart, and know when to pick your battles.”_

Snape’s words echoed in her mind, and she felt like she was beginning to understand what he meant. Whether she liked it or not, she was a member of the Malfoy household and of Slytherin, and if she was going to survive, she would have to play by the rules.

“Do you understand, Sylvia?” Lucius narrowed his eyes. “Do not make me repeat myself.”

_At least until I can figure out a way around this. I’ll have to be more discreet with Harry and the others._ She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy.”

“Good. Now run along upstairs,” he said.

“Yes, sir.” Sylvia stood and left the study.

She headed up to the second floor and over to the east wing. Reaching her bedroom, she was about to going inside when she noticed that Draco’s door was slightly ajar. She walked over and saw that he was decorating his room with a few Slytherin banners that he had collected.

She knocked on the door. “Um, Draco?”

He turned, and realizing it was her, raised an eyebrow. “What do you want?”

“Just to talk,” she said.

He snorted. “What? Need a shoulder to cry on now that my parents are tossing you out?”

“They’re not tossing me out.” She grinned. “So it looks like you’re stuck with me.”

He stomped toward the door, and he swung it open, almost slamming it against the wall. “What do you mean? You’re a blood-traitor. My parents would never–”

“Well, it looks like even they believe in second chances.” She folded her arms. “Now are you going to let me inside or not?”

Draco looked like he wanted to shut the door in her face, but he muttered under his breath and walked back over to his bed. “Say what you have to say, and then get out.”

Sighing, Sylvia walked over to the window. “Draco, what do you think about Professor Snape?”

“He's brilliant.” Draco smiled. “Especially since he's the only one in the school who isn't willing to worship Golden-Boy Potter. Why do you ask?”

“Well–” Sylvia bit her lip. “You don't think any of the professors would try to kill someone, do you?”

“What?” He blinked. “Where would you get a mental idea like that?”

“Um, you see… do you remember the Quidditch match when Harry almost fell off of his broom?” she said.

He frowned. “Hard not to considering what you did to me afterward.”

“Right.” She walked over to Draco and leaned against the footboard of his bed. “The others… Harry… he thinks Snape tried to kill him.”

His eyes widened before he burst into laughter. “If we could be so lucky. Honestly, is that what Potter thinks?”

“They said they saw him conjuring a spell in the stands, and Hermi–” She frowned. “I mean, Granger, had to stop Snape.”

Sitting up, Draco sneered at the air. “Potter won the bloody game, and yet he has to blame someone else for his horrid flying. Honestly, how pathetic could you get?”

“Yes, I thought the idea was a bit ridiculous myself. Anyway, we should go to dinner.” Sylvia headed for the door.  _I don’t know if I should mention everything else. It’s just too risky._

“Oi, Sylvia?” Draco said.

She paused in the doorway. “What is it?”

He strode over to her. “I hope you don’t plan on squandering this second chance my parents are giving you.”

“No.” She lowered her head. “The others were only using me to spy on Snape anyway.”

“Good. Come on.” He stepped in front of her and headed down the hallway.

Sylvia trailed behind him, and she felt her heart race.  _Just play along, and learn to pick your battles. I… I can do this._


	18. The Solstice

In a flash, Christmas day arrived. Sylvia sat in front of the mirror and fiddled with her hair. As usual, it had been pulled into a tight, up-doe with pins and clips digging into her scalp. It was giving her a splitting headache, but she knew if she undid her hair, she'd be reprimanded. Sighing, she left her room and knocked on Draco’s door.

“Who is it?” his voice drawled from the other side.

“I’m bored. May I come in?” she said.

She heard him groan before he shouted a halfhearted, “Fine.”

Opening the door, Sylvia stepped inside, and she saw Draco sitting on his bed with a small, wrapped box in his hand. He had already gotten himself dressed in a black suit, and his hair had been slicked back in its usual style. There wasn't one thread or hair out of place.

She walked over to him. “What are you doing?”

He glanced at her. “I took a present from downstairs.”

“But your mother told us we couldn't open any until the party.” She cringed at her words. _Ugh, someone jinx me now. I do not want to spend the holiday with pig-mule Parkinson._

“Don't worry. I've got it taken care of.” Draco pulled away at the green ribbon, and opening the box, he gasped.

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. “A ring?”

“It's my father's Slytherin ring.” He smiled. “It's been passed down through the family for ages. I can't believe he's finally giving it to me.”

He pulled it out of the box and slid it onto the ring finger of his left hand. It was a bit too big, but that didn't damper the moment.

Sylvia couldn't help but feel a sting to her heart. She knew she would never be able to experience what Draco was just now. She sighed and shrugged the feeling away.

“Dobby!” Draco's voice rang throughout the room.

With a small pop, the house elf appeared before them and bowed. “Good afternoon, young Master Malfoy and Miss. How can Dobby serve you?”

“Dobby, rewrap this gift for me and place it back under the tree.” Draco tossed the box to the elf, who fumbled to catch it in his hands. “And don't let my parents catch you.”

Dobby nodded. “Yes, young Master Malfoy. Dobby understands.”

When the elf vanished from the room, Draco looked at Sylvia with a smug grin. “See. Simple.”

She just shook her head in response.

….

Evening came, and Sylvia stood beside the Malfoys in the entrance hall to greet their guests. The first to arrive were the Crabbes and the Goyles. The two boys joined Draco and stood behind him. The mothers looked very demure by their husbands' sides, but were quick to greet Narcissa and Lucius. The fathers, on the other hand, were enough to make Sylvia want to jump out of her skin. Their features were very rugged and stern, almost like they had escaped from a prison.

Next to arrive were the Parkinsons. Pansy's father was a stout man with a neatly trimmed beard and mustache, and as he neared closer to the group, Sylvia couldn't help but scrunch her nose.

Mr. Parkinson smiled. “Happy Christmas, Lucius, Narcissa.”

_What is that smell? It’s seeping out of his pores._ Sylvia curtsied, receiving a giggle from Pansy's mother.  _Well, now I know where the pig-mule gets her looks._

“Oh, Narcissa, darling, it's so good to see you.” Mrs. Parkinson glanced down. “And, Draco, you've grown since the last time I've seen you. Becoming the spitting image of Lucius, you are.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Parkinson.” Draco bowed.

Mrs. Parkinson’s gaze fell on Sylvia. “Ah, and you must be Hexington. Pansy’s told me some very interesting things about you.”

Lucius cleared his throat. “John, Nancy, Dobby shall show you to the dining room, and I'm sure little Pansy has some catching up to do with her friends.”

On cue, Pansy stepped out from behind her mother. She was wearing a green and red polka dot dress with matching ribbons in her hair. It took everything in Sylvia's power not to burst out laughing. Mr. And Mrs. Parkinson followed Dobby out of the room while Pansy stood by Draco's side.

Soon the Montagues and the Flints came through the door, and their sons, being much older, seemed rather bored. The Notts arrived next; however, it was only Theodore and his father, who looked old enough to be his grandfather. The Zabinis followed not too soon after, but opposite to Theodore, Blaise only had his mother with him. Lastly, the Bulstrodes and the Greengrasses arrived, and Sylvia noticed there was a younger girl trailing behind Daphne.

The dinner began, and Sylvia was thankful that her housemates cared more about remaining respectful in front of their parents than antagonizing her. She focused on her food, remained silent, and hoped the party would end as soon as possible.

After dinner, the adults remained in the dining hall while the children were sent to the drawing room. Draco stood beside the large Christmas tree while everyone surrounded him, and everyone started exchanging gifts. When Sylvia was sure no one was looking, she sneaked away and returned to her room. Grabbing her Water Tribe outer coat, she headed outside into the courtyard.

She made her way over to the garden and sat in front of her ice flowers. She glanced up at the sky. It was clear, and the moon was nearly full. Smiling, she bowed to the moon.

“Oh great Moon and Ocean spirits, thank you for watching over me. I hope my step-family is doing well in my absence.” She lifted her head.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the serene silence. It was all she could do to drown out the home sickness plaguing her. This holiday was supposed to be about togetherness and family, but all she felt was lonely.

_Please, Spirits. Let me see my step-family again. Even if it’s only once, and only for a little while._ She closed her eyes. “Please, pretty please.”

“And what are you doing out here, Blood-traitor?”

Sylvia turned around and Pansy, Daphne, Millicent, and Tracy standing behind her. “I could ask you the same. By the by, nice dress, Parkinson. I didn’t think you could be any uglier, but you managed to prove me wrong.”

Pansy gasped and glared at her. “Oh? Well, that dress is wasted on you. No amount of primping and polishing will hide the fact that you’re filth.”

“Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, Sylvia returned to her meditation state, but something made her pause.

Amongst the ice flowers was a wisp of light. It fluctuated, flashing different colors, and it was growing larger. Sylvia felt a sudden draw to it, and standing up, she walked toward it.

_What is that?_ She could feel spiritual energy radiating from the light, and she reached out to touch it.

Nothing happened, or so she thought. Squeals and whimpers erupted behind her, and Sylvia turned to see the other girls staring at her with wide eyes.

Millicent jumped back and screamed. “She… she just died. What happened?”

“Died?” Sylvia blinked. “What are you talking about?”

Pansy retreated from her. “Hexington, look at yourself!”

She did so, and found herself speechless. She was a translucent, bluish-white ghost, and her body had collapsed on the ground next to her. Narrowing her eyes, she saw that her body wasn’t dead, for her chest was slowly rising up and down like she was sleeping.

_How?_ She furrowed her brow.  _Did this happen when I touched that light?_

“What the bloody hell?” Tracy shook her head. “What are we going to tell the adults? They’re gonna think we did something to her.”

“We–” Pansy’s gaze drew up to something over Sylvia’s head, and a blood-curtailing scream escaped her lips.

She and the other girls rushed back toward the manor, their feet slipping and stumbling in the snow. Sylvia felt something breathe behind her and turned around to see a large panda. There was a light glowing around it, and she was overcome with excitement.

“You’re a spirit, which means….” She looked at her hands. “I’m in the Spirit World. That’s right. During the solstice, the line between the physical and spiritual world is blurred.”

The panda nodded and nuzzled her with its nose. She reached up to pet it, and when her hand touched its brow, a vision filled her mind. She saw a young air-bender touching the panda’s brow in the middle of a scorched forest.

“Wait. That was my step-father, so you must be the Hei Bai spirit,” she said.

Hei Bai nodded.

“Can you take me to see my step-family?” She bowed. “I would be most grateful.”

The spirit lowered herself down, so she could climb on top of him. He then charge into the light.

….

Katara leaned against the railing of the meditation ring and stared out at Republic City. She had finished putting Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin to bed, and as irony would have it, she felt restless. There a void in her heart, and no matter what she did, it wouldn’t go away.

“You okay, Katara?” Aang walked over to her.

She looked at him. “It’s been almost a year since we’ve seen Siku, and it bothers me not knowing what’s going on with her. Is she happy? Has anything happened? What if she’s in trouble?”

“It bothers me too.” Aang furrowed his brow. “But it’s forbidden for our worlds to interact with each other.”

She groaned and hit the balcony with her fists. “It’s a stupid rule. I mean, what’s so different about the Magical World anyway? Our presence couldn’t possibly cause that much damage.”

A colorful swirl of light appeared in the ring, making Katara and Aang turn around.

“What is that?” she said.

Aang stepped in front of her. “It looks like a spirit portal.”

Hei Bai stepped out, and nodded his head toward both of them.

Aang bowed. “Greetings, Great Hei Bai spirit. What are you doing so far from your forest?”

“Mum! Dad!”

“Siku?” Katara looked up and saw the spirit form of their daughter riding on top of the spirit.” Siku!”

Hei Bai knelt down, allowing Sylvia to jump onto the floor, and Katara rushed over to hug her. However, Katara’s arms phased right through her daughter.

“How?” Katara pulled away, and kneeling down, looked her over.

“It’s the winter solstice. I was praying to the spirits when Hei Bai showed up.” Sylvia smiled. “My body’s still in the Magical World.”

Her daughter spoke with a mangled accent, and Katara couldn’t help but notice how different she was dressed. The girl looked like a child of nobility, and it was a far cry from the average, playful attire Katara had provided her.

“Oh, Siku.” She smiled, tears filling her eyes. “I… I’m so sorry about before. We should’ve told you.”

“It’s okay.” Sylvia put her hands behind her back and shuffled her feet. “I shouldn’t have run away. I’m sorry. I thought I was such a burden on both of you, and I believed you’d be better off without me.”

Aang walked over and sat down. “Siku, we never thought you were a burden. We just wanted what we thought was best for you, but we went about it the wrong way.”

Katara wiped her eyes. “He’s right. We both love you so much, sweetie. Don’t you ever think otherwise.”

“I love you too.” Sylvia sniffled. “I wasn’t able to find my real family. They were killed during a war.”

Katara sighed. “We know. You were brought to us not too long after it happened. I’m sorry, Siku. I know that must’ve been painful.”

“It’s fine. I’ve… I’ve gotten over it.” Sylvia looked around. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Your brothers and sister are asleep, and Uncle Sokka and Toph went home hours ago,” Katara said.

“Oh.” Her daughter lowered her head, looking crestfallen.

“It’s okay. You can see them another time.” Katara put her hand as close to her daughter’s chin without phasing through it. “Why don’t you tell us all about this Magical World?”

Sylvia proceeded to go on a non-stop ramble of her adventures since she ran away, and Katara found herself overwhelmed by the bombardment of unfamiliar terms and situations.

“So then we finally started school at Hogwarts, and they have four houses that are like the Four Nations.” Sylvia grinned. “I got sorted into Slytherin, which is also the element of water, and I’ve been doing pretty well in most of my subjects, except for Potions and Herbology.”

“Houses?” Aang raised an eyebrow. “So you don’t return home everyday?”

“No, it’s a boarding school. I live with my housemates, but I don’t like them very much. But I did make friends with children in the other houses. Like Harry Potter. He’s famous for defeating a super powerful, dark wizard just like you guys defeated Fire Lord Ozai. He’s also an excellent Quidditch player, and he even defeated a Mountain Troll that wandered into the school,” she said.

“Really?” Katara gave her a knowing look. “And by the sounds of it, you’re pretty fond of this Potter.”

If her daughter was tangible, she was certain the eleven-year-old would be blushing right now.

“No. No.” Sylvia waved her hands in front of her face. “We’re just friends.”

“If you say so.” Katara shared a glance with Aang and laughed. “And is this school… Hogwarts safe?”

“Yes.” Sylvia started counting off on her fingers. “There are many spells and wards to protect it, and we have professors like Flitwick, Sprout, McGonagall, Snape, oh, and Dumbledore.”

Aang gasped. “You mean Albus Dumbledore?”

She nodded. “He’s our Headmaster and known to be a very powerful wizard. Why?”

“We used to be friends a long time ago.” Aang put a hand to his forehead. “I can’t believe he’s still alive.”

Sylvia shrugged. “Well, he is really old, and I’ve heard that some wizards and witches can live pretty long lives if they’re skilled enough.”

Katara narrowed her eyes. “And what about the Malfoys? Are you happy with them?”

She watched her daughter bite her lip and glance away, a sign that Sylvia was conflicted about what to say.

“Is something wrong?” Katara said.

“It’s just that–” Sylvia sighed. “Everything’s really different there. For instance, muggles and magical people live in separate societies, and they’re both really afraid of each other. And the Malfoys, and a lot of other magical people, believe in blood purity.”

Aang scrunched his nose. “Blood purity?”

“Yes. I’m actually a pure-blood witch, which is considered the best, and there’s this whole hierarchy about how everyone should be treated based on how un-pure their blood is,” she said.

“What?” Katara grimaced. “That’s disgusting. How could anyone think like that?”

“I don’t agree with it either, but like I said, everything in the Magical World is different and really complicated.” Sylvia shuffled her feet. “As for the Malfoys, I don’t consider them my family, and we don’t agree on a lot of stuff. But I feel safe with them.”

Hei Bai stood and let out of whiny roar before nodding toward the moon.

“What’s wrong?” Katara said.

Aang stood. “The Solstice is ending.”

“What? Already?” Katara looked at her daughter. “But she just got here. Can’t we have a little more time?”

“It’s okay, Mummy.” Sylvia smiled. “Maybe I can come back on the next solstice, and you can make sure the others are here too. Then I’ll tell you all about my friends, and Hogwarts, and all the new spells I’ve learned.”

Katara felt herself tear up again, and she nodded. “I’d like that.”

Aang hugged Sylvia, not caring that his arms were phasing through her. “Take care of yourself, Siku, and maybe you can tell Albus I said hi. I’m sure he’d be surprised.”

“Okay,” she said.

Katara leaned over and joined in the hug. “We love you.”

“I love you, Mum, Dad.” Sylvia moved away and climbed back onto Hei Bai. “I’ll see you next solstice. Tell the others I love them too!”

The spirit portal opened, and Hei Bai ran through, taking their daughter with him. Katara stood and watched the portal close with a heavy heart. Her birthday had been a month ago, and she couldn’t have asked for a better belated gift.

Aang stood and looked at her. “Do you feel better?”

“Yeah.” She collected herself before frowning. “Although, there’s something about that family she’s staying with that I don’t like.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You mean the Malfoys?”

She nodded and started making her way back inside the temple. “Siku didn’t look comfortable when she spoke of them. Like she wasn’t telling us everything. I don’t know. It just seems off, and now that I remember, Ellie was really upset when she thought we had given Siku to them.”

Aang looked out toward the horizon. “Maybe you’re right, but we’re going to have to trust Siku’s word. If she says she feels safe, then we’ll leave it that.”

“And if she’s not?” Katara said.

“Then we’ll find a way to get to her, forbidden rules or not.” Aang kissed her and smiled. “Besides, we’ve raised her as best we can, and going by her story, she’s making the right decisions. Feel proud.”

“I am proud, but I can’t help but worry.” Katara looked at the sky. “Goodnight, Siku.”

….

Sylvia opened her eyes to see Narcissa hovering over her with a furrowed brow. “Mrs. Malfoy?”

She smiled at her. “Ok, thank Merlin, you’re all right.”

“What do you mean, Mrs. Malfoy?” Sylvia sat up and realized she was in her room.

“We found you passed out in the garden.” Narcissa put a hand to her forehead. “You were chilled to the bone. Parkinson’s daughter and the other girls were screaming that you died and turned into a ghost.”

“I was out enjoying the weather, and I must’ve fallen asleep. I don’t remember anything about ghosts. Parkinson must’ve been seeing things,” she said.

“I figured as much.” Narcissa sighed. “As for you, you need to be more careful. You almost caught your death out there.”

“I will.” Sylvia nodded. “Sorry for worrying you, Mrs. Malfoy.”

“It’s quite alright, Sylvia. Now stay in bed and get your rest.” Narcissa stood and headed for the door. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Mrs. Malfoy.” Sylvia lay down.

“Goodnight, Sylvia.” She left the room.

Sylvia pulled the covers over her and snuggled Fufu. “Goodnight, mum and dad.”


	19. Caught In The Crossroads

The Christmas holiday ended, and everyone was saying goodbye to their families on Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Narcissa hugged Draco and kissed him on the forehead. “We’ll see you both during the summer holiday. Be good.”

“Yes, Mother.” His face flushed, and he glanced around, hoping no one saw that.

Lucius narrowed his eyes at Sylvia. “And you _will_ behave yourself.”

She gulped under his’ piercing gaze. “Yes, Mr. Malfoy.”

Sylvia hated how tense her interactions with the Malfoys had become, and she recited Snape’s advice in her head again. She would behave and remain on good terms with the Malfoys until she old enough to live her own life. She had to remain smart about this.

_It helps that I can at least see my step-parents again._ She glanced toward the train. 

Narcissa hugged her and kissed her on the forehead as well. “This is for your own good, Sylvia. You might not think so now, but you’ll understand with time.”

_Oh, I understand._ Sylvia nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Malfoy.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Now, run along, both you.”

Sylvia and Draco waved goodbye before heading toward the train. They found Crabbe and Goyle waiting near one of the doors, and the four of them headed inside and found a compartment. Sylvia sat by the window while the overgrown boys put her trunk away.

Draco sat across from her. “You realize that this is your last chance? You better not waste it, and embarrass me or parents again.”

She nodded and spoke in a soft tone, “I won’t.”

He narrowed his eyes before turning his attention to Crabbe and Goyle.

Sylvia stared out of the window and did her best to tune out the boys’ conversation. It was clear that Draco still didn’t trust her anymore, and she would have to gain it back. It would be a small price to pay for her true goal, and she consoled herself that it would be worth it.

_I guess it helps that I told Harry, Hermione, and Ron that I wanted to stay out of their mischief._ She closed her eyes.  _If I talk to them, it’ll have to be in secret._

Once they arrived at Hogwarts, Sylvia sat beside Draco during the feast. She could feel eyes on her, and looking up, saw the trio waving at her. She didn’t wave back, or even smile, and returned her attention back to her meal. Hearing Draco chuckle, she glanced at him and saw him sneering at the trio in victory.

_Five minutes into term, and I already sense this’ll be a disaster._ She sighed and took a sip of her water.

“Alright, Hexington. Out with it,” Pansy’s shrill voice called from down the table.

Sylvia glanced in her direction and saw her dorm-mates staring at her with confused yet curious expressions. “Out with what?”

Daphne folded her arms. “What happened at the Christmas party, that’s what.”

The second the words left Greengrass’ mouth, Sylvia felt more eyes on her. Her trip into the spirit world must’ve caused more of a scene than she realized, but she knew she couldn’t tell them the truth.

Tracy nodded. “What happened to you? You died right in front of us, turned into a ghost, and now you’re completely fine.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “Well, clearly Sylvia couldn’t have died if she’s still here, Davis. Will you four stop acting so hysterical?”

Pansy pouted. “We know what we saw, Draco.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s true.” Sylvia shrugged. “I went outside to give my respects to the spirits for the solstice, and then you four showed up to taunt me. I passed out, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in bed with Draco’s mother fretting over me.”

“Solstice?” Tracy raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you mean that spirit festival you mentioned before?”

Theodore furrowed his brow. “Spirit festival? Like communing with ghosts?”

“Hang on.” Draco frowned. “Were you messing around with necromancy, Sylvia?”

Sylvia flushed from all the attention everyone was giving her and found herself losing her appetite. Now what was she supposed to say? Judging by the name, she deduced that necromancy was some type of dark magic, and while she knew her housemates wouldn’t judge her as harshly as the rest of the school, she also couldn’t risk getting in trouble.

“Only in the muggle sense.” She twiddled her fingers and stared at her half-eaten plate. “The idea is that during the solstice, the line between physical and spiritual world is blurred to sort of crossover into each other. The ritual is about praying. I had no idea there was a magical side to it.” 

Blaise snorted. “I didn’t take you for the sort to be into the Dark Arts, Hexington, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’d disgrace it with your muggle upbringing.”

“Laugh all you want, Zabini. The spirits my muggle town believed in are not the type to mess with.” Sylvia glared at him. “Praying is a way to show respect and remain in their good graces. You don’t want to be in the presence of an angry spirit, believe me.”

“So you’ve seen one before?” Theodore said.

She nodded. “A few times actually.”

Tracy furrowed her brow. “What do they look like?”

“It varies. Some take the form of animals, others plants, and a few can look close to being human,” Sylvia said.

She glanced over her housemates. One minute, they were about to humiliate her for her blood-traitor tendencies again, and now they seemed generally curious about her mishap at the party. 

_Well, my mission was to get back in everyone’s good graces anyway. Might as well go with it._ Sylvia thought for a minute. “For instance, there’s Koh the Face Stealer.”

“Face Stealer?” Draco said.

She grinned. “According to legend, he’s supposed to be this enormous centipede, and if you’re in his presence, you can’t show any expression at all. Or else he’ll take your face and use it for his own.”

Millicent squealed, almost dropping her fork on the floor. “Ugh, it just rips your face off? That’s terrifying.”

Daphne’s eyes widened. “Wait, we saw something like that during the party. It was this giant, black and white, four-armed monster.”

“Doesn’t sound familiar, but like I said, I really don’t remember anything else from that night,” Sylvia said.

Pansy glared at her, her face flustered like a hot tomato. “Maybe so, but you clearly summoned something by accident and could’ve killed us all.”

“And yet nothing happened.” Sylvia shook her head. “Draco’s right. You’re being hysterical.”

Daphne placed a hand on Pansy’s shoulder before she could say anything else. “Just forget it. It’s not that big of a deal.” 

Pansy groaned and returned to her meal. 

Theodore took a sip from his goblet. “So you worship monsters?”

“Goodness no.” Sylvia grimaced. “Praying to spirits like Koh will get you nowhere. I was actually paying respects to the moon and ocean spirits.”

“Is it because it’s winter?” Tracy said.

“Partially. They’re also the patron spirits of the my muggle-mother’s tribe. I’ve met the moon spirit before. Her name is Yue, and she is very beautiful and kind. The ocean spirit, on the other hand, I’ve only felt a connection to.” Sylvia looked at her goblet. “My magic has always been closely tied to water.”

“Really?” Theodore said.

Draco nodded. “She’s right. I’ve seen it.”

Sylvia looked at Draco. “You’re not going to tell any of the adults, are you? I wasn’t trying to do anything bad, I swear.”

He stared at her for a moment, and she could tell he was mulling over his options, which didn’t bode well for her.

“Very well. I’ll keep silent.” He smirked. “So long as you behave yourself.”

_I really hate him sometimes. I’ll have to be more careful during the next solstice._ She nodded. “Fair enough.”

….

The next day, Sylvia left the Potions room and decided to head to the library. She had almost reached the stairs when she saw Harry trying to catch up to her. 

“Wait, Sylvia,” he said.

She paused in her stride and looked at him.

He noticed her expression. "Is something wrong?"

Sylvia shook her head. “Nothing for you to worry about. Did you want something?”

Harry nodded. “I was wondering if you wanted to come with us to visit Hagrid later?”

“I can’t. I want to get a head start on my assignments, and besides, I’ve already told you that I want no part in your little mission.” She quickly turned her heel, ready to walk away.

He stepped in front of her. “Come on, Sylvia, what's wrong? You haven't said a word to us since we've gotten back.”

She shifted her gaze between the stairwell and him. “Because I can’t talk to you anymore.”

He frowned. “What did Malfoy’s parents do to you?”

“Nothing. Why do you always assume they abuse me?” she said.

Harry’s eyes widened a little. He opened his mouth to speak, but didn’t say anything. Sylvia furrowed her brow as she discovered her answer. 

“Harry, your aunt and uncle–” She bit her lip. “Did they?”

“Starve me, let my cousin and his friends bully me, lock me up in the cupboard under the stairs, and basically treat me like they wished I didn’t exist?” He nodded. “Yes.”

_That explains why he was so skinny when we met in Diagon Alley._ She wanted to hug him, but she hesitated, her face flushing. “I’m sorry, Harry. Anyway, the Malfoys don’t want me to be around you or the others. And I live with them, so I have to follow their rules.”

“Yeah, well their rules are ridiculous,” he said.

“Well, I don’t believe your opinion matters, doesn’t it, Potter?” Draco walked over to them with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. “Sylvia’s already told you to leave her be. So I suggest you listen before things get ugly.”

Harry looked ready to argue, but Sylvia shook her head. “Harry, just leave. Please.”

He shifted his gaze between her and Draco. “Fine.”

Sylvia watched him leave, her heart sinking.  _Why did everything have to turn out like this?_

“So what did Potter want?” Draco said.

“He wanted to know why I was ignoring him.” She shrugged. “And now he does. Anyway, I’m going to study in library.”

She continued upstairs before Draco could say anything else.

….

As the days passed, Sylvia grew more distant from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She never sat by them in class, she would always ignore them in the halls and during meals, and she spent most of her time hiding in the Slytherin common room. One day in February, she made her way to Hooch's office. She decided she needed something to get her mind off of everything. 

_Training to fly better would definitely do it._ She knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Sylvia stepped inside. “Excuse me, Madam Hooch. I'd like to talk with you.”

Hooch looked at her. “Yes, Ms. Hexington?”

She stood in front of the desk. “Well, I was wondering if I could have some extra practice with flying.”

Hooch raised an eyebrow. :What for? I'm not sure if you would make the Quidditch team. You're a bit shaky on your broom. Plus, you put in too much power when you speed up. Or have you already forgotten how you almost crashed into the Ravenclaw stand?”

“Uh, right.” Sylvia gave her a sheepish smile. “No, Madam Hooch, I don't want to join the team. I just want to master flying.”

Hooch thought for a second before nodding. “Very well. After all, citizens of the Wizarding World don't only fly just for sport. You can practice with me after class for the rest of the term.”

Sylvia smiled. “Thank you, Madam Hooch.”

A few more months passed. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Sylvia would train with Madam Hooch, and she was slowly but surely she was starting to improve. 

As for the trio, her friendship with them continued to slip further and further. She knew they were confused by her absence, but with Draco watching her like a hawk, she couldn't find a chance to be alone with Harry, Hermione, or Ron. 

….

One evening, Sylvia had decided to study in the common room. After flipping through pages and scribbling notes down for hours, she ended up falling asleep on the couch.

“Sylvia, wake up.”

She felt someone shake her. “Huh, what?” 

She opened her eyes, still groggy, and saw Draco standing beside her.

He looked at her, arms folded. “Hurry, get up.”

Sylvia sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Why?”

Glancing around, she realized it must have been late. However, judging by the determined expression on Draco's face that couldn't have been the reason he disturbed her.

He tugged on her sleeve. “I need you to come with me to spy on Potter and his friends.”

She raised an eyebrow. “But it's already after hours.”

He smirked. “Exactly.”

Sylvia blinked. “Why do I have to go?”

Draco met her gaze. “Because it'll be a great opportunity to serve your house.”

“You think I care about something like that?” She put her hands on her hips. “And besides, I don't wanna get caught and get into trouble.”

“We're not going to get into trouble. And like I said before, you still need to prove yourself as a true Slytherin. This will be the perfect chance.” He held out his hand. “So?”

Sylvia shifted her gaze between his hand and his face. “And what if I say no?”

“Oh, come on.” Rolling his eyes, he snatched her hand again and lead her out of the common room.

Since the beginning of the year, neither Sylvia nor Draco had ever been out of their house after curfew. She had to admit that it was a completely different atmosphere. The corridors were dark and silent, and the only noise was their feet clapping against the stone floor. The torches that aligned the walls dimly lighted their path.

_What if someone sees us, and what's so important that Draco has to risk skipping curfew?_ Sylvia looked at Draco with a furrowed brow while they made their way through the dungeons. “We're going to get caught. I know it.”

“Shush.” Draco put a finger to his lips.

They made it outside to the courtyard. Looking ahead of Draco, Sylvia saw that they were headed toward Hagrid's hut.

She frowned. “Draco, what is this about?”

He stopped running and walked over to a small window. “Come over here.”

Sylvia stepped up next to him and peeked through. Inside, they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking to Hagrid, and on the table was a baby dragon.

Draco's eyes widened. “Whoa.”

Hagrid noticed Draco and Sylvia's silhouette and looked up. “Ey, who’s that?”

“He saw us. Run.” Draco snatched Sylvia by the hand again and rushed back to the castle.

_We’re in so much trouble._ Sylvia felt her heart race. “Can't we just go back to the common room before anyone else sees us?”

Draco looked like he was considering it, but then he gave Sylvia a small smirk. “No, instead I think we should pay Professor McGonagall a little visit.”

Sylvia frowned at the idea, but was dragged along anyway. They found McGonagall's classroom and went to her office. While Draco spoke with the Professor, Sylvia stood off to the side, mentally scolding herself for being taken on this little  _mission_ .

_This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong._

She shook her head and sighed. Sylvia glanced up when she saw McGonagall and Draco walk pass her. She decided to follow. Hearing voices echoing in the corridor, she furrowed her brow.

McGonagall stepped out of the classroom. “Good Evening.”

Sylvia saw Draco smirk and walk out from behind McGonagall. Curious, she walked out into the open to see who else was there and frowned. It was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Sylvia glanced at Draco; his smirk was spread wide across his face. His plan ended up working. The trio just stood there like three raccoons about to get smashed by a whomping willow.

Sylvia didn't bother to make eye contact with them.  _Now, they're going to hate me for sure._

McGonagall brought them into her classroom. She walked behind her desk while Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in front of her, ready to receive their lecture. Draco and Sylvia were standing off to the side. The first still beamed with pride while the latter still refused to meet the others' gaze.

“Nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night.” McGonagall looked at the group with a stern expression. “Therefore as punishment, fifty points will be taken.”

Sylvia saw all three of the Gryffindors cringe.  _Oh, why did I let Draco drag me into this? And come to think of it, what were Harry, Ron, and Hermione doing out this late anyway? It couldn't have been to just visit Hagrid._

Harry's jaw dropped. “Fifty!”

McGonagall nodded. "Each." She received groans from the three Gryffindors. “And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all  _five_ of you will receive detention.”

Draco's smirk fell. “Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said the  _five_ of us?”

“You are not mistaken, Mr. Malfoy. For you see, as honorable as your intentions were, you and Ms. Hexington were still out of bed after hours. You both will join your classmates in detention.”

Sylvia glared at him. “I told you this was going to get us in trouble. Why did I let you drag me out here?”

Draco pursed his lips and sulked. “Quiet.”

….

The next night, Mr. Filch led Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sylvia, and Draco out of the castle. 

“You'll be serving your detention with Hagrid tonight.” Filch sneered at them. “He has some business to take care of in the dark forest.”

Draco shrunk back. “The Forest? I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed and there are… werewolves.”

Sylvia shivered at the thought.  _We're really going into the Dark Forest? At night?_

Mr. Filch gave him a cold stare. “Well, you're gonna have to serve detention. Otherwise, you'll be expelled.”

Hagrid headed toward the forest's edge. “Alright, yeh lot, let's ‘urry.”

They walked for a while through the misty fog and thousands of trees until Hagrid stopped at a pool of silvery liquid. He put a finger to it, drawing out a bit of the strange substance, and let drip back down to the ground while he examined it.

Harry bit his lip. “Hagrid, exactly what is that?”

“It's what we're ‘ere for. That righ’ there. It's unicorn blood, that is. Found one dead a few weeks ago, and this one's been ‘urt bad by somethin'. Now our job is to go out and find the poor beast.” Hagrid glanced out toward depths of the forest. “We'll split up into two groups. ‘Ermione and Ron, you'll come wit’ me. Harry, you'll go wit’ Malfoy and ‘exington.”

“Um, Hagrid, are you sure it's a good idea for us to split up? We don't know our way around here. What if we get lost?”

Sylvia glanced at the forest around them. She understood why it got its name. It was dark, creepy, and the sounds they were hearing weren't too comforting either. How on earth did Hagrid expect a couple of first years like them to be able to defend themselves on their own?

Hagrid nodded. “Oh right. If yeh get into any trouble, just send up a red flare with yer wands. Now let's get movin’.”

Draco, Sylvia, and Harry parted ways from the others and made their journey to find the unicorn. Draco held the lantern and looked in every direction. Every time he heard a strange howl or a bush slightly shake, the hairs on his neck stood up. Harry was calm the entire time. Sylvia silently followed, hoping nothing would jump out and attack them.

“Wait till my father hears about this.” Draco sneered at the air. “This is servant stuff.”

Sylvia elbowed him. “Well, if you didn't go out of your way to cause trouble,  _Malfoy_ , we wouldn't be in this mess. I wanted to go back to the common room, but you had to tell Professor McGonagall.”

He elbowed her back. “Oh, shut it.”

Harry frowned. “Don't treat her that way. She does have a good point.”

He snuffed him. “No one asked you,  _Potter_ .”

The three of them reached a little hill in the pathway, and beyond that point they saw a dead unicorn lying on the ground.

Harry stepped forward. “Well, there's the unicorn.”

Sylvia gulped. “Wait, do you hear that?”

A sloshing sound echoed around them, making them go silent. Draco started to quiver, and he pointed ahead. There was a cloaked figure leaning over the unicorn. The cloak was so dark that they could barely see it within the shadows of the forest. It raised its head, growling at the intruders.

Draco screamed at the top of his lungs and immediately ran the opposite way, taking Sylvia along with him. They rushed through the bushes and the trees, getting as far away from the area as possible.

It wasn't until several minutes later that Sylvia stopped running. “Hang on, wait.”

Draco looked back at her. “Come on, Sylvia. Did you see that thing back there? We have to get out of here!”

Sylvia glanced around. “But where are we? Are you sure this is the right way?”

He scanned the area as well. The mist made it difficult to see very far, and every path looked the same. “What? We can't be lost. I'm sure it's this way.”

“Wait, where's Harry?” Sylvia cupped her hands around her mouth. “Harry!”

He grabbed her hands. “Quiet. Do you want that thing to find us too?”

“But we left Harry behind. That monster could have gotten him.” She pulled away from him.  _What if he's dead? Oh, no. Why did we have to come out here?_

He looked at her. “What was the spell that big oaf told us to use?”

Sylvia thought for a minute. “That's right, the red sparks. Why don't we do it together? It'll be brighter that way.”

Draco pulled out his wand while Sylvia pulled out hers. They pointed them upward and recited the incantation. Red lights sparked from their wands like fireworks.

“He better have seen it.” Draco lowered his wand. “Stupid half-breed getting us lost and nearly killed.”

Sylvia heard footsteps approaching them. Squinting her eyes, she saw Hagrid's large frame in the distance. 

She waved her arm. “Over here!”

Ron and Hermione quickly rushed over to them, but the two Gryffindors paused, realizing someone was missing.

Hermione looked at Sylvia. “Where's Harry?”

Sylvia pointed in the direction she thought she and Draco ran from. “Back there. We found a unicorn, and there was this monster eating it. Harry got left behind.”

“Come on, let's hurry.” Hagrid quickly made his way toward the direction Sylvia was pointing.

Sylvia, Draco, Ron, and Hermione quietly followed behind him. They soon returned to the spot where the dead unicorn was. Next to it was Harry and a large centaur.

Sylvia glanced around. The monster was nowhere in sight; her gaze fell on Harry. He looked unharmed, making her sigh. 

_Thank goodness._ She smiled.  _Still what was that monster? I'd hate to see what else lives in this forest._

… _._

Draco stepped into the Slytherin common room. He hadn't been so glad to be back in the castle than he did now. 

_First thing, tomorrow morning, I'm owling father._ He glanced at Sylvia, who was trailing in behind him. “Could you walk any slower?”

Sylvia looked up at him abruptly, as though she was coming out of a daydream. “Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

Draco walked over to the couch in front of the fireplace and sat down. “I can't believe I had to serve detention. Doesn't matter though, Potter still lost all those points for his house. They'll never be able to make up for it before the term ends.”

“What?” Sylvia walked over to him. "Is that what this was all about? The stupid house cup?”

Draco smirked. “Of course it was.”

Sylvia narrowed her eyes at him. “I can't believe you. And on top of it, you had to drag me into this. Now they're going to hate me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Who cares?”

“I do!” She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Why should I have to side with you, the rest of Slytherin house, and your parents? Harry, Ron, and Hermione are my real friends!”

“You can't be serious?” Draco stood up. “After everything my parents and I have told you, you still want to be friends with them?”

Sylvia folded her arms. “Yes, I do. And this time you're not going to stop me.”

“Oh really?” Draco stepped over to Sylvia until he was towering over her. He saw her reach for her wand and quickly held her arms down. “Don't even try it.”

Sylvia pulled back. “Let me go.”

“Not until you listen me.” Draco met her gaze. “Stop wasting your time with Potter, Weasley and that mud-blood. I'm warning you, Sylvia. If you don't, I'll….”

She narrowed her eyes. “Do it! Then you can have the professors stick you with another detention for being such a git.”

They stared each other down for what seemed like hours before Draco loosened his grip. Sylvia quickly pulled away and ran to the stairs. He watched her until she disappeared into the doors, his blood boiling.


	20. Burned Bridges and Crammed Knowledge

Sylvia was the first to wake up in her dorm. Sliding out of bed, she quickly got herself ready for the day. Once she was washed and dressed, she returned to the room. The other girls were already up and about, and, as usual, were ignoring her.

Tracy pulled out her robes from the nightstand. "I can't believe the year's almost over, and then we'll be second years."

Daphne yawned. "Fine with me. I'm sick of being the runts of this school."

Millicent nodded. "But we still have a long ways to go. I mean it'll be another three years before any of us are considered prefects."

Pansy sat on the edge of the bed and started brushing her hair. "Oh, I'll definitely be picked for prefect. Just imagine it. Me and Draco patrolling the corridors all alone."

"Alone?" Tracy gasped and put her hands to her face. "Don't say such things, Pansy."

Sylvia finished packing her rucksack, drowning out the conversation as much as possible. She hadn't given much thought to the attractiveness of the boys in her house, especially Draco. However, given how much of an outcast she was, they probably wouldn't have paid her much mind anyway. She made her way to the door, but unfortunately stopped at the sound of Pansy's shrill voice.

"So, Hexington, how was detention last night?" Pansy said.

Sylvia turned around. "Wonderful. Not that this conversation isn't interesting, but I need to get down to breakfast."

Pansy sneered at her. "Honestly, so rude. You think you'd learn to hold your tongue after getting poor Draco in trouble."

"Is that what he told you?" She folded her arms.

Pansy narrowed her eyes. "No, but why else would he get detention unless you had something to do with it?"

Sylvia scoffed. "For your information, we got detention because he decided to go snooping around the school and dragged me with him. Although, I'm sure he already mentioned that we got Harry, Hermione and Ron in trouble as well."

Daphne laughed. "That's right. They got a whole bundle of their house points taken away."

Tracy cheered. "Meaning were now in the lead for the house cup."

Sylvia took advantage of the distraction and slipped out of the room. She made her way downstairs into the common room and outside into the dungeons. Walking in silence, she reflected on the events of the previous night. That monster they saw couldn't have just been any old creature. As much as she wanted to ignore the incident, she knew she couldn't, and she knew why.

_Every time something weird happens at this school, it always involves Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Which means that monster was no coincidence. I have to know what's going on._ Sylvia entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Slytherin table.

From where she was sitting, she could see that the trio was receiving some unkindly looks from their housemates.

_No surprise._ She got herself a bowl of porridge and an apple. _They lost a lot of house points. Even if Draco and I hadn't found them, they were still sneaking around._

She noticed Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle sitting further down the table. Judging by the smirk on his face, he was sharing his heroic story of putting Slytherin back in the lead. Sylvia just rolled her eyes.

_I really don't care for this competitive house stuff. It just seems to cause trouble._ She started eating. _Why can't we all just get along as one school instead?_

….

After breakfast, Sylvia headed to Transfiguration and found herself sitting next to a Hufflepuff student, whose name she couldn't recall. McGonagall stood at the front of the class.

"Good morning, students. I hope you've been studying and practicing, for the final exams are only a couple of weeks away,” she said.

Sylvia sighed to herself.  _Right exams. I hate taking tests._

McGonagall continued with the lesson.

Sylvia started taking notes, but she found herself unable to focus. _Madam Hooch already announced yesterday that first years interested in joining the teams next year should start practicing over the summer._ _Not that I care._

Class ended and students spilled out into the corridors, ready to head to their next destinations. Sylvia slowly walked outside, her mind half focused on where she was going, the other half muddled in thought.

"Let's see. I need to focus on studying/ I'll worry about the Malfoys later." Looking up, she noticed Harry, Hermione, and Ron and walked over to them.  _Hermione's the only reliable study partner I can think of. I've already been pawning off her for potions class._

Ron was the first to spot her, and he narrowed his eyes. "Well, well, look who it is. Come to get us in trouble again, have you?"

Harry and Hermione turned to look at her, but both remained silent.

_I guess I shouldn't be shocked that they'd bring last night up._ Sylvia looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry about the detention. If I had known what Malfoy was up to, I wouldn't have let him leave the common room."

"Don't give us that." Ron wrinkled his nose and frowned. "You've been ignoring us all term. And thanks to you and Malfoy everyone in our house is after our heads because we lost so many house points. And on top of that, Hagrid had to give up his new pet dragon!"

"Look, I said I was sorry. I tried to stop him from telling McGonagall." She shifted her gaze between the three of them. "Harry? Hermione?"

Harry stepped forward, but Ron stopped him.

“Harry, don't. I told you befriending a Slytherin was nothing but trouble and this proves it." Ron glared at her. "Just admit that you're a back stabber like the rest of them and leave us alone!"

Hermione gasped. "Ron."

"Never mind. I wanted to apologize, but I guess that's not gonna happen." Sylvia met Ron's gaze, her glare almost matching his. "Maybe it was  _my_ fault for making friends with Gryffindors."

Harry and Hermione stared at her, eyes wide, and all Sylvia could do was stomp away from trio. She hadn't meant to say it, or maybe she did. All she knew was that it couldn't be undone.

….

Draco watched Sylvia leave. He had been prepared to snatch her away again until he saw the scene unfold in front of him.

_It looks like Sylvia's ties with the Trio have been severed for good. And hopefully she'll finally realize her mistake._ He smirked to himself. 

Well, that was one burden off his shoulders, and now he could completely focus on his studies. A part of him wanted to follow Sylvia to tease her, but he decided not to and left down the opposite corridor with Crabbe and Goyle following him.

….

In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Sylvia sat by herself. She tried her best to stay focused on the lecture and not look in the trio's direction, but her efforts were in vain. Sighing, she looked down at her textbook.

This class was always a mixed bag for her. One the one hand, she liked the jinxes and spells they learned. But on the other, she wasn't too keen on the "defense" part. It seemed a bit odd learning about these dangerous things that none of them would probably have any experience with. What would happen if they really did come face to face with a werewolf or any of the other creatures? Surely it couldn't be as easy as the textbook said.

Sylvia's mind rolled over the events that happened that year.  _Then again, maybe it is._

Harry and Ron took down a Mountain Troll with little effort, and all of them had ventured into the Dark Forest without getting killed. However, all of these events had a connecting piece. Class soon ended, and Sylvia was about to leave her desk when she saw Quirrell standing in front of it.

She paused in her stride. "Yes, Professor?"

"Good aftttternoon, Mmms. Hexington." Quirrell shivered like it usually did when he stuttered. "Hhhow are you ttttoday?"

"Just fine, Professor." She nodded. "And you?"

"Oh, jjjjust gggrand. I would like a word with you. Wwwould you stay after class ppplease?"

"Yes, sir." Sylvia bit her lip.

Why did Quirrell want to talk with her? Was she in trouble? She followed him to him to his office and shut the door.

Quirrell sat down at his desk. "Hhhave a seat."

She sat down in the chair in front of him. "Is there something wrong, Professor?"

"No, no, eevery thing's jjjust fine." Quirrell quickly nodded. "I just wwwanted to tell you that you should consider yourself vvvery lucky to be where you are."

She furrowed her brow. "I don't understand."

"Your family was very interesting during their time. Pppity they died out they way that they did, especially your parents. But I suppose that's the fffate of those who slip into treachery. But you won't turn out that way, will you? Nnnot with Mr. Malfoy as your friend,” he said.

Sylvia shook her head. "No, of course not."

"Gggood." Quirrell smiled. "That's what I love about Slytherin house. All of you have such a good head on your shoulders. Nnnow I've kept you long enough. I'm sure you have studying to do. You have a good day, Ms. Hexington."

"You too, Professor Quirrell." Standing, she made her way to the door, and just as she placed her hand on the knob….

_She does not know. But it matters not. We're so close. Soon very soon._

Sylvia hesitated to turn the knob.

"Ssssomething wrong, Ms. Hexington?" Quirrell said.

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

She quickly opened the door and headed out of the classroom.

….

Later that afternoon, Sylvia was in the library studying. Or at least trying her best to. She had Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts memorized pretty well, but the other classes were another story.

"I'm going to flunk Potions; I know it. I haven't even gotten started on Herbology." Sylvia slumped her head against the desk and groaned.  _Let's see, History of Magic…. Ugh, that class is so boring. It's hard enough to stay awake let alone learn anything. Okay, where did I leave off? Uh, The Werewolf Code of Conduct? No. Read that already. Ah, there, Emeric the Evil._

About an hour passed before Sylvia felt like her head was going to explode. She shut her books and stuffed them back into her rucksack. Getting up from the table, she made her way to exit. However, the second she stepped out of the library, she collided with something and fell back onto the floor.

Groaning, Sylvia stood up. "Ow, that's going to leave a bruise."

Looking ahead, she spotted another first year girl on the floor. As the girl sat up, Sylvia spotted the Ravenclaw insignia on her robes.  _._

The girl looked at her. "I'm sorry. So sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Neither was I. Here, let me help you." Sylvia held out her hand.

"Thank you." The girl smiled. "I'm Padma Patil."

Sylvia recalled seeing the girl during the sorting along with another girl that looked just like her. "I'm Sylvia Hexington."

Padma moved her dark hair away from her face. "Oh yes, I remember. You're that Slytherin girl who's always with the Gryffindors. Well, that's what my sister, Parvati, told me."

_Not anymore._ Sylvia sighed. "Yeah, that's me." She turned to walk away. "I'm sure you have more important things to do than talk to me, so I'll leave."

Padma furrowed her brow. "Wait, I didn't mean to offend. It's only a little peculiar seeing a Slytherin student who acts like you when the rest of them are so…."

Sylvia grinned. "Pratty?"

"Uh, yes, I suppose that'd be the best way to describe it." Padma giggled. "So are how are you faring with your studying? I admit the exams make me a bit nervous."

"I'm assuming the results will be the same as my grades all year. However, Potions worries me the most." Sylvia sighed. "I'm going to troll that class for sure."

"Well, I've done well in Potions." She gestured to the Grand Staircase entrance to the right of them. "Perhaps we could study together?"

_Well, I do need help. And a Ravenclaw would be the next best thing after Hermione._ Sylvia nodded. “Sure, why not."

Padma smiled. "Come on. I usually do my homework up on the Astronomy Tower."

Sylvia followed.  _Hmm, this is an interesting turn of events_ .  _At least I have some hope of passing now._

….

It was almost time for dinner, and Sylvia and Padma headed back downstairs together. They passed through the courtyard when Sylvia spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the open corridor. They looked like they whispering about something, judging by the way they were looking over their shoulders.

"Padma." Sylvia put finger to her lips and signaled for the Ravenclaw to follow her.

She frowned. "What are you…?"

"Shush,” Sylvia said.

She crouched down behind the stone wall and crawled to the edge of the corner. Padma followed her and almost slipped on the grass.

Sylvia heard Harry's voice echo, "That was no stranger Hagrid met. It was Snape. Which means he knows how to get past Fluffy."

_What are they up to?_ Sylvia bit her saw Snape walk up behind the trio. 

They exchanged a few words before Snape left. Returning her attention back to the trio, she heard Harry speak again.

"Where going to the third floor corridor. Tonight."

 _The third floor corridor?_ Sylvia furrowed her brow, and hearing the trio leave, she sat up and leaned against the wall.

Padma followed suit and sat behind her. "What are they talking about?"

Sylvia shook her head. "I don't know. Something's going on in this school that only they seem to know about. And tonight, I'm going to see what it is."

"Tonight?" Padma stood. "After hours? We're not allowed."

"That doesn't seem to be stopping them." Sylvia shrugged. "Besides, if I get caught, it'll dock points from Slytherin. It's a win-win."

Padma frowned. "Do what you want, but I don't want any part of it."

"Fair enough. I'll catch up with you tomorrow." She headed back inside and made her way to the common room instead.  _I need to get some rest and prepare first. Still, I have to wonder what's on that corridor that's so fascinating to them? Well, I'll get to see it soon._

….

Nighttime finally came. Sylvia opened her eyes and slowly sat up. She pulled back the curtains to her bed; the rest of the girls were sound asleep. Nodding to herself, she grabbed her wand and slipped out of bed. She had left on her school clothes, so she wouldn't waste anytime heading up there. However, she left her heavy cloak behind.

_It would probably get in the way._ She headed downstairs to the common room. 

To her relief it was empty. Now for the final step: she had to make it from the dungeons to the third floor without getting caught. And this time she was alone.

She sighed.  _You wanted to do this. No turning back now._

She didn't know how long it took, but it felt like forever. She bobbed and weaved between pillars and statues, ducked behind suits of armor and tapestries, and did her best to avoid any noisy portraits. And of course, she kept her eyes peeled for Filch and Mrs. Norris. Finally, she reached the Grand Staircase and patiently rode each stairway to her destination. She made sure to keep ducked down behind the railing.

Reaching the door, she opened it. She didn't have to second-guess if she was in the right place for the whole corridor looked more abandoned than she had ever seen any place in the castle so far. It was covered in inches of dust and cobwebs. As she took a step forward one of the torches immediately came on. She quickly shut the door and ran behind it, her body shivering.

When she heard and saw no one, Sylvia continued down the corridor. The torches along the path lit her way as she approached them. Soon she came across another door. Jiggling the handle, she realized the door was locked.

_If it's sealed then it must be the right way._ Sylvia glanced behind herself.  _But I don't see Harry, Hermione, or Ron anywhere. They did say tonight, didn't they? Maybe they're already inside, or they chickened out? Perhaps I should wait here first, just in case._

"Ah, Ms. Hexington. I suppose I was wrong before. Not all Slytherins have a good head on their shoulders."

_Oh no._ Sylvia turned around and saw Quirrell standing in the corridor. "Uh, Professor Quirrell, I can explain."

"Explain what, Ms. Hexington?" He stepped forward. "Why you are what you are? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. You have the same blood as your treacherous parents. You understand him, don't you?"

"What?" Sylvia slowly stepped back.

Quirrell raised his wand. "Well, since you want to know so badly, Ms. Hexington, allow me to help you."

Sylvia felt something hit her. A spell. Next thing she knew, she was falling to the ground. Her head hit the floor, and her world went black.


	21. Curiosity Killed The Snake

Sylvia came to. Her head still hurt, and it took a while for her eyes to focus. After blinking a few times, the blurs finally formed solid shapes. She saw that she was in a dark room.

Quirrell was standing a few feet away, his back turned to her. A sickening smell wafted across her nose; she tried to flinch but she could only blink her eyes. She attempted to move, but her body didn't respond.

_What did he do to me?_ She searched the room. _And where am I?_

Sylvia felt that she was leaning on something solid, but it didn't feel like a wall. She guessed it was a piece of furniture, and it also seemed to be the source of the smell.

Quirrell turned around, his gaze falling on her. "Awake I see. Well, you're in luck Ms. Hexington. You've always done fairly well in my class, but I'm sure no student minds a little extra credit. I'm sure your meddling Head of House will come sniffing around for me sooner or later. Keep him distracted for me, and you'll finish your first year at the top of my class."

Sylvia merely stared at him, unable to respond.

He laughed. "Good girl."

He exited the chamber, leaving Sylvia alone.

Sylvia mentally sighed. There was nothing she could do now until someone, hopefully soon, found her.

….

Quirrell entered the next chamber. As he shut the door, it quickly became engulfed with purple flames while the door ahead was shrouded with black flames. In the center of the room was a table with seven bottles resting on it. They varied in size, color, and shape, and from what Quirrell could see, there was liquid in each of them.

He laughed. "Clever, Severus. But not clever enough."

He had to give the Potions Master credit; Severus was the only one who managed to suspect him. The rest were blissfully unaware of what was going on right underneath their noses.

Even the great Dumbledore wasn't wise enough to remain in the castle. Still, Severus wasn't aware of the true secrets Quirrell was keeping. Quirrell spotted a piece a parchment beside the bottles. Picking it up, he read through the instructions written on it.

_When you finish your task, retrieve the girl._

Quirrell nodded. "Yes, Master."

….

_I just had to see what was going on, didn't I? This is was I get for being curious._ She continued to stare at the dark room and felt something shift against her back.  _Is it just me, or did this thing I'm leaning on move?_

"Ugh, what's that smell?"

"I don't know. It's coming from this way. Are you sure Ron's going to be okay?"

Sylvia instinctively tried to turn her head only to remember that she couldn't.  _That sounded like Hermione._

"He should be if we hurry."

Her eyes widened.  _And Harry._

A second later she saw Harry and Hermione enter the chamber. They were supporting Ron on their shoulders, and he was unconscious. However, all three of them looked badly bruised up.

Harry glanced around. "What room is this?"

Hermione turned, her eyes meeting Sylvia's. "Harry, look. It's Sylvia."

Harry finally looked in her direction, but then Sylvia saw his gaze drift behind her. "You do realize what's she's leaning on, Hermione?"

_Both of them look really worried._ A shiver ran down Sylvia's spine.  _Seriously, what is this thing I'm next to?_

Hermione quickly nodded. "Yes."

She took Ron's arm from around her shoulders and let Harry hold him.

She made her way over to Sylvia. "What are you doing down here? Are you okay?"

Sylvia just blinked in response.

Furrowing her brow, Hermione looked Sylvia up and down. "Someone cast a body-bind curse on her."

Harry walked up beside her with Ron. "It must have been Snape."

"Don't worry." Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at Sylvia. " _Finite Incantatem_ !"

Coughing, Sylvia felt her limbs give way. "Thank you. I don't know how long I could have lasted like that."

"You're welcome." Hermione nodded. "But what are you doing here?"

"I came to see what's going on." Sylvia snapped her fingers. "That's right. You guys were wrong about Snape."

Harry frowned. “Again with this?”

“Yes, again. Now stopp being stubborn and listen.” Sylvia rolled her eyes. “When I came up here, I was attacked by…."

A loud growl filled the chamber, making the three of them freeze.

Sylvia's heart skipped a beat. "What was that?"

"Move!" Harry quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her way. "That Mountain troll isn't dead!"

"What?" Sylvia turned and gasped. _That was a troll?_ _Well, that explains the smell._

All three of them backed away while the troll got to its feet. It picked up the club that was lying at its side and focused its sights on them.

Hermione held out her wand and narrowed her eyes. "There's a key around its neck. We'll have to defeat it in order to get to the next room."

Sylvia pulled out her wand as well. "Should be simple, right? You guys took on a troll before."

Harry sighed, his wand aimed. "Yeah, with dumb luck."

The troll roared and charged at them. They quickly ran out of the way, carrying Ron with them. The troll smashed into the wall, its head getting wedged in the large crack it made. Snarling, it tried to pull itself out.

"Strong but thick." Sylvia glanced around. There were three other walls in the chamber, and right now the troll was still stuck. "I've got an idea."

Hermione grabbed her hand. "Wait? What are you doing?"

"Just trust me." Sylvia ran over to the troll and stood behind it. "Hey, ugly!"

The troll finally pulled its head out and turned around.

Sylvia waved her wand in a circular motion while aiming at the air. " _Verdimillious_ !"

A green orb of light burst from her wand and exploded in front of the troll's face. It roared and backed away, blinded by the light. Sylvia saw the key; it was tied to the troll's neck with a thick rope.

She quickly pointed her wand. " _Diffindo_ !" 

The rope severed in half, and the key fell to the troll's feet. It finally came to its senses and charged at Sylvia.

She ran the opposite way. "Get the key while I distract this thing!"

Hermione grabbed the key and made her way over to the next door. The troll swung its club at Sylvia. She tripped trying to dodge it and slid into the next wall. The troll raised its club again, ready to crush her.

"Sylvia!" Harry rushed over and pointed his wand at the troll's club. " _Wingardium Leviosa!"_

The club levitated out of the troll's hand. Harry tried to swing the club at the troll, but it swatted the club away. It turned its attention on Harry and smashed both of its fists down at him. Harry jumped out of the way, but stumbled and fell back on the floor. The troll swatted at him while he was down and knocked him back across the room.

Hermione managed to open the door, and hearing Harry scream, she quickly looked in his direction. "Harry!"

The troll focused on Hermione, but before it could charge at her, an aura of green sparks exploded around its body. It screeched in pain and stumbled back. Sylvia picked up a few stray rocks from the debris and threw them at the troll's back.

"Stay away from her, you stupid oaf!"

The troll turned around, growling. It ran toward Sylvia and swung its fist down at her. She rolled out of the way, barely missing it. The troll continued to chase after her until she was pinned in a corner of the room.

She quickly aimed her wand. " _Verdimillious_ !" 

Another green orb shot out from her wand, blinding the troll again. She ran between its legs and over to where Harry was. He was starting to come to; she held his hand and helped him up.

"How are we going to stop that thing?" Glancing down, she spotted a hole in the floor.

That particular spot seemed like it was just covered with debris.

_That part of the floor must be hollow. Maybe we can move it out of the way._ She looked at Harry. "I need your help."

Harry looked at her. "What is it?"

She pointed at ahead. "I need you to levitate the debris out of the way. There's a hole underneath it. It might help us trap that troll. It's starting to come to its senses again _._ Come on, we have to hurry."

They ran over to the edge of the debris. It was perfectly aligned with where the troll was standing. If they timed it right, they could easily lure it down there.

"On my call…." Sylvia pointed her wand at the troll.

Harry nodded. "Oi! Over here!"

The troll moved its hands away from its eyes and turned. Sylvia could tell it was getting mad, really mad. They had to do this right otherwise they might not survive its next rampage. The troll charged at them, and just as it got on the edge of the hollow floor….

"Now!  _Verdimillious_ !"

Another green orb blinded the troll.

" _Wingardium Leviosa!"_

Harry levitated the debris away, revealing a large hole. Luckily it looked deep enough to get rid of the troll. It snarled in pain before tripping over the edge and falling though. But just as it did, it snatched Harry by the leg and pulled him inside. Hermione and Sylvia's screams echoed throughout the room, and Sylvia quickly grabbed Harry's hand. The weight of Harry and the troll made her lose her balance; she slammed onto the floor, her arm stretching over the edge.

Hermione ran to her side and pointed her wand at the troll. " _Flipendo!"_

The jinx hit the troll dead on in the face. With one last roar, it let go of Harry and fell into the dark abyss below. Sylvia and Hermione pulled Harry back up.

Sylvia caught her breath and rubbed her arm. "I never want to see another mountain troll for the rest of my life."

"I agree." Harry smiled. "Thank you."

Sylvia nodded. "Of course."

Hermione dusted herself off. "Are you both alright?"

Sylvia stood up. "I think so, yeah."

Harry got to his feet as well. "I'm fine."

"Good." Hermione pointed across the room. "I've got the door open. Now let's hurry."

Sylvia put up her hand. "Wait! I didn't get to finish before. Quirrell’s after the stone.”

Hermione and Harry glanced at each other before looking back at Sylvia. "What?"

"I know it sounds odd, but Quirrell was the one who caught me and trapped me down here." Sylvia frowned. "I can't explain it, but there’s been something really off about him all year.”

Harry shook his head. “Why would Quirrell be Voldemort’s follower?”

“Why does that matter?” Sylvia's eyes widened. “Voldemort’s dead.”

"We'll explain later. We need to hurry and stop him." Harry made his way to the door.

Sylvia followed behind Harry and Hermione. "What do you mean we're stopping him? Are you mental?"

Harry turned. "We have to do something."

Sylvia rushed in front of him. "Have you been paying attention to this conversation? Quirrell is a professor and you both think, Voldemort, the biggest dark wizard ever, is behind this. We're only in first year. Don't you think we need to get help?"

"By the time we do, it'll be too late. Just trust us. Hermione and I will go after him. You can watch Ron." Harry opened the door. "Once we've stopped Quirrell, we'll come back for you and Ron and get out of here."

Sylvia sat down beside Ron. "All right, but I still don't like this."

Harry and Hermione entered the next room and shut the door. Sighing, Sylvia leaned against the wall. She was happy to no longer be petrified, but that didn't change the seriousness of the situation. She eyed the giant hole in the floor.

 _Maybe the fall was enough to kill_ _it._ Sylvia hugged her arms around her knees. _Either way, I hope they hurry back._

She glanced at Ron. He had a few cuts across his face, and his clothes were tattered more than usual. Harry and Hermione never said what attacked him, but it was obvious that there were other dangerous rooms besides this one. She heard Ron groan, and saw his face scrunch up. He slowly opened his eyes.

Sylvia met his gaze. "Well, well, speak of the dead."

Blinking, he moved away from her. "Sylvia, what are you…?" He glanced around and put a hand to his head. "What happened? Where are Harry and Hermione?"

"They went on ahead." She shrugged. "I stayed behind to watch you. You're welcome."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Like I'm supposed to believe that!"

She scoffed. "Believe what you want. It's not getting us out of this death trap any faster."

Groaning, he sat up and leaned against the wall. "This changes nothing."

"Fine by me." She closed her eyes.

They sat in silence for what felt like forever, and with each passing second, Sylvia could only feel herself grow more anxious than before. What if the next room was more dangerous than this one? Harry and Hermione could be dead right now. Then Quirrell and… Voldemort could get away.

Sylvia furrowed her brow. And what if Voldemort really was back? How did it happen? And what did that mean for them? Would he try to destroy the school? Or maybe he was out to get revenge on Harry?

_Was that the voice I kept hearing?_ She shivered.

The sound of footsteps broke Sylvia out of her thoughts. Looking up, she saw Hermione entering the room. "You're back already? What happened?"

Hermione walked over to them. "The next room was a potion room. The only ones we could use would either let us escape or progress forward into the next chamber. Unfortunately, there only enough of the forward potion for one, so Harry went alone."

"Alone!" Sylvia jumped to her feet. "You let Harry go by himself?"

"He'll be fine." Ron coughed. "If anyone can beat Snape, he can."

Sylvia put her hands on her hips. "Except it's not Snape. It's Quirrell."

Ron looked at her. "What? Quirrell?" He snickered. "Yeah right, like that coward would be any threat."

"Not now, you guys. We have to go back upstairs and get help." Hermione walked ahead of them.

Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, after we've all been injured, trapped, and Harry's been sent to his death, now you want to get help. This is the last time I follow you three on any special missions."

The three of them made their way out of the chambers and back into the castle. Hermione led them to McGonagall's office where they spilled everything they knew. Hearing that Harry had been left behind, McGonagall left to get the other professors while Hermione, Sylvia and Ron were sent to the hospital wing.

Everything that happened after seemed like a blur to Sylvia. They were examined and questioned by Madam Pomfrey, whom made sure they were completely healthy and free of any dark curses. Afterward, they were each issued a bed and told to rest. Sylvia hadn't realized how much the troll fight had taken out of her, for the moment her head hit the pillow she fell asleep.

….

Sylvia groggily opened her eyes for the second time in twenty-four hours. Turning, she realized she was still in the hospital wing. Looking outside, she could see the sun peaking over the mountains.

_It's morning. Wait!_ Sylvia sprung up, her eyes darting around. Hermione and Ron were still in their beds, and… she smiled.  _Harry. He's alive._

He was lying in the bed across from them.

_They must have saved him in time. Thank goodness._ Sighing, she lay back down and went to sleep.

….

A few hours later, Sylvia, Ron, and Hermione were permitted to leave the wing by Pomfrey. Harry, however, was still asleep, but his bed had been showered with gifts that hadn't been there earlier on.

Hermione looked at Pomfrey. "Will Harry be alright?"

Pomfrey nodded. "He should be fine, but he was hit with some dark magic. It'll take him a day or so to recover."

Hermione, Sylvia, and Ron, who had taken a few of Harry's chocolate frogs, left the wing. They slowly walked down the corridor in silence and made their way to the courtyard. Once there, they stood around the fountain that rest in the center.

Sylvia sat down on the edge of the fountain. "So did you guys hear anything about what happened?"

Hermione shook her head. "No."

Ron opened another chocolate frog. "I woke up when they brought Harry in. Dumbledore's back, and he said that Quirrell didn't get the stone."

Hermione sighed. "That's a relief."

Sylvia furrowed her brow. "How was Harry able to stop him?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but the only thing they could find of Quirrell's body was his clothes and a pile of ash."

"You mean like he turned to dust?" Hermione folded her arms.

Sylvia bit her lip. "What about Voldemort? Did they mention him?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Good morning."

Hermione, Ron, and Sylvia turned and saw Snape standing behind them. Ron, startled, quickly moved away from him.

Snape stared at Hermione and Ron. "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger, I suggest you leave before I take away any more points, and I'm sure you don't want your house to get any further behind than it already is."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, Professor Snape." She walked away, taking Ron with her.

Snape turned his attention to Sylvia. "Ms. Hexington, how peculiar to see you here. After teaching you first years for the past two terms, I am less than surprised by the stunt those Gryffindors pulled. Especially, Mr. Potter. You, on the other hand— " He frowned. "Would you care to explain yourself?"

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape." Sylvia bit her lip. "I know I'm not supposed to betray my house, but Harry, Hermione, and Ron are my friends. I had to help them. I don't care that they are in Gryffindor."

"You are aware that by doing so, you put your life in danger and were yourself captured by Professor Quirrell no less. He could have ended your life right then and there. If you were so concerned for your friends, you should have come to me. McGonagall might be willing to reward her students for such  _heroic_ recklessness, but I will not tolerate it in my house. Do you understand, Ms. Hexington?" he said.

Sylvia lowered her head. "Yes, sir."

"It would be in your best interests to return to your common room. Exams are tomorrow. No exceptions." Snape gave her one last glance before leaving.

Sylvia decided to heed Snape's warning and made her way back to the dungeons. However, curiosity peaked her mind again. She wanted to know how Harry was doing and detoured back to the Hospital wing. Pomfrey was occupied, allowing Sylvia to easily slip past her. Looking toward Harry's bed, she saw that he was already awake. At the moment, he was eating some candy and reading a few of his cards.

Smiling, she walked over to his bedside. "How are you feeling, Harry?"

Harry looked up. "Sylvia, you're alright. Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They might have gone to Gryffindor house." She scratched her head. "Or possibly the Great Hall given how Ron was scarfing down those chocolate frogs."

"Right." Harry let out a small laugh and adjusted his glasses. "Anyway, why did you help us back there, Sylvia? Not that I mind, of course, it's just that you've been… kind of…."

Sylvia stared him in the eye. "I know, I haven't exactly been the best friend lately. And for that, I want to apologize."

"Oh." He smiled. "It's okay."

"Thank you." She folded her arms. "And what about Professor Snape?"

He sighed. "You were right. Snape was never out to get me. It was Quirrell the whole time. He let that other Mountain troll in during Halloween, and he's the one who tried to kill me during the Quidditch match. Snape…. He was actually trying to save me."

She leaned against the edge of the bed. "I assume you have learned your lesson?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "What lesson?"

"That you shouldn't be quick to judge people. Sure Slytherin house has a… less than welcomed reputation, but that doesn't mean that everyone is an evil criminal out to get you." She tapped her foot against the floor. "So?"

He shook his head. "I never thought you were bad, Sylvia, and I'm sorry if you felt that we didn't want you around because of it. But let's be honest, none of the other Slytherins, including Snape, are nice to me. I won't give an apology for them."

"Fair enough." Sylvia smiled. "What happened down in the chamber? Ron said he heard that the other professors' found nothing but Quirrell's ashes."

Harry seemed hesitant to explain. He furrowed his brow before meeting her gaze. "Apparently, I was being protected by a spell from my mother. When she died, she protected me, so apparently I can't be touched by Voldemort."

Her eyes widened. "Voldemort? You— you actually saw him?"

He nodded. "Yes, he was living on the back of Quirrell's head like some second face, and that why Quirrell turned to ashes. I touched him with my hands, and he turned to dust."

_So the voice I heard was him._ She shivered. “And what happened to Voldemort?"

Harry sighed. "He escaped."

"But what does that mean?" She stood up straight. "Are we in danger?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so; he needed the stone to get stronger. He can't come back unless he can find a way to revive himself."

"That's comforting." Sylvia glanced out of the window.  _Looks like life at this school is going to be anything but normal._

However, Sylvia decided not to get herself worked up. The danger was over for now. She had more important things to worry about. Like exams.


	22. The Gift

_Madam Pomfrey sure is picky about visitors._ Sylvia rubbed her ear while she made her way downstairs. 

The healer had caught her trying to sneak back out and berated her for visiting Harry when he needed to rest. Harry tried to defend her, but Pomfrey wasn't convinced. Now she had to face whatever was waiting for her in the Slytherin common room. 

_At least I was able to find out what happened._ Sylvia sighed.  _That should give me some ammunition once the questions start._

She finally set foot back in the dungeons. It was a bit strange. Such a place would normally fill a person with a sense of discomfort and dread, but she actually felt more at home being amongst the darker corridors of the castle. She reached the trap door, said the password, and headed inside. 

Like she suspected, the common room was crowded with her housemates. All of them were sitting in groups, gossiping about the recent events. Just as Sylvia's foot hit the staircase, her fellow first years spotted her.

"Well, well, look who it is? Have a nice night, Hexington?" called Draco’s drawling voice.

Silence fell over the room, and every head turned in Sylvia's direction. Taking a deep breath, she made her way down the stairs and over to the fireplace where Draco and the other first years were sitting.

Sylvia put her hands on her hips. "It was just fine."

Pansy glared at Sylvia, her face flustered. "You better have not lost us any points."

Sylvia shrugged. "Probably no more than what Harry, Hermione, and Ron might lose for doing the same thing."

Draco raised an eyebrow and stood up. "And what were you doing with the trio?"

Groaning, Sylvia turned away from him. "It's none of your business."

He walked around her, so he was facing her. "Don't bother being all mysterious. Everyone's heard about it. Now, I'll ask you again. What were you doing with them?"

Sylvia met his gaze. "If you really must know, I wanted to see if everything they were telling me was true."

Pansy scoffed. "Oh really, and what was that?"

"Enough, Pansy." Draco narrowed his eyes at her before looking back at Sylvia. "Explain."

Sylvia sighed. "Remember when I told you that Harry thought Professor Snape was trying to kill him?"

He nodded. "Yes, and I told you that was absurd."

"I know, but they were so convinced it was him. That Snape was the one who was after that stone thing. I wanted to prove them wrong. Things didn't turn out exactly like I had planned though,” she said.

Millicent snickered. "Obviously. From what we heard, you almost got yourself killed by a mountain troll."

"Eww, I couldn't imagine." Daphne shivered. "Still I can't believe Professor Quirrell was behind it all. He didn't seem that bad."

Tracy nodded. "Yeah, you think you know a guy."

"He sounded absolutely deranged when he found me. I couldn't believe it either." Sylvia bit her lip.  _Do they know that Voldemort was involved? No, I don't think they do. Such news would override their interests in my little escapade._

"Seeing that you're still in one piece, I take Potter had to save you?" Draco frowned.

She shook her head. "No, I did just fine. In fact, if it were up to me, we would have left to find help. Harry was the one who decided to keep going."

Pansy snorted. "Ha, the show off. Probably trying to make himself look like a bloody hero. As if we haven't had to endure enough of his achievements all year."

Draco sat back down on the couch. "Yeah, well I'm sure we'll get an earful of it tomorrow."

Everyone returned their attention to their friends, filling the room with chatter again. Sylvia heaved a deep sigh and tried to hide her smile. The situation hadn't been as painful as she thought. Of course, maybe her concern for their cold Head of House was enough to smooth things over. Either way, Sylvia took advantage of everyone's disinterest in her story and headed upstairs to her dorm room to study.

….

A long night of gossip led to a reluctant awakening for the students of Hogwarts. They groggily filed out of their houses, their minds still too distracted by recent events to care about exams. Sylvia headed to the Great Hall alone for breakfast. Amongst the sea of students, she spotted Padma and walked over to her.

"Morning, Padma." Sylvia smiled.

Padma nodded. "Morning. I can't believe what you guys did yesterday; that must have been so scary."

Sylvia shrugged. "A little."

Padma laughed. 'Well, it's a good thing Harry was there to save the day. Oh, he's so brave. I guess it should be no surprise. He was placed in Gryffindor after all. But he stopped You-Know-Who once, and now he's fighting dark wizards better than an auror." She blushed. "He's like a fairytale come true."

Sylvia scratched her head. "Well, I wouldn't say all of that."

"Anyway, are you ready for exams?" Padma held up her notes. "I was up all night studying."

"So was I." Sylvia sighed. "Although, I still think I'm going to troll Potions."

Padma raised an eyebrow. "Come now, you can't be that bad. What grade have you maintained so far this year?"

"Acceptable." Sylvia lowered her head. "Barely."

"Sylvia, there you are!"

Looking up, Sylvia saw Hermione and Ron coming towards them from the opposite way. Ron looked half asleep while Hermione had the brightest smile Sylvia had ever seen on her.

"Morning, Hermione… Ron." Sylvia eyed the Weasley slightly. While their previous predicament had forced them to cooperate, they still hadn't made amends. And given that Ron was against her from the start, she wasn't sure if that was even a possibility.

Hermione smiled. "Morning, Sylvia. It's a good day, isn't it? It's quite nice having exams right after all of the chaos from yesterday."

Ron groaned. "Speak for yourself."

"Oh, you guys, this is Padma." Sylvia gestured to the Ravenclaw. "We've been studying together."

Padma briefly waved. "Nice to meet both of you. I'm sure you already know my sister. You're both very noble, taking on the danger that you did."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you."

Sylvia glanced around Hermione and Ron and realized someone was missing. "Where's Harry?"

"Madam Pomfrey still won't let him go. She told us Dumbledore is allowing Harry an extra day before he has to take exams."

Ron folded his arms and huffed. "And why can't we be afforded the same luxury? Last time I checked, we were down there too."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine, Ron. Stop being so dramatic. And if you're that worried, maybe you should have paid closer attention in class and actually studied instead of begging me for my homework."

"Whatever, I'm going in the Great Hall. I'm starving." Ron walked away.

Sylvia, Hermione, and Padma decided to head inside as well since they all had a big day ahead of them. And what a day it was. Sylvia sat on the edge of the Slytherin table and silently ate while she recited all the facts lessons she had went over in her head. Then the classes began. First it was Transfiguration, which was a relief to Sylvia. She had mostly managed  _Exceeds Expectations_ throughout the year and taking that exam first gave her some piece of mind.

This was followed by Charms, then Herbology. The first Sylvia remembered quite easily, the latter not so much. Next was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Surprisingly, she found it much easier than she had originally thought. Perhaps fighting that troll helped. 

After a much needed lunch break where Sylvia listened to Hermione go on about how easy all of them had been so far, they returned to History of Magic for another round of torture. The most boring class Sylvia had experienced at Hogwarts so far, but the class itself was still fairly simple and so was the test.

Finally came the class Sylvia had been dreading all day: Potions. While everyone else was carefully scribbling answers down on their parchment, Sylvia's mind had gone blank. She didn't know how or why, but it felt like she had forgotten everything she had studied.

_No, not now._ Sylvia started to bite on the end of her quill.  _Maybe I should just put down my best guess?_

Of course, knowing Snape, he couldn't just leave it as a written test. They had to brew a potion as well.

Sylvia looked over the assignment.  _The Forgetfulness potion? This is some kind of sick joke, isn't it?_

Luckily she managed not to burn the classroom down. That honor remained with Neville, whom Snape was still scolding at the end of class. Sylvia walked out into the corridor and met up with Hermione, Padma, and Ron.

Padma smiled. "Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought."

Hermione nodded. "Actually, it was quite enjoyable."

"I don't understand either one of you." Ron narrowed his eyes at both of them. "That was horrible."

"How did you do?" Hermione looked at Sylvia.

Sylvia sighed. "I forgot everything. I don't understand how it happened. I barely scrapped through making the potion. Ooh, I hate that class so much."

Padma put a hand on her shoulder. "It was probably stress."

"Probably. I'm just glad it's over." Sylvia closed her eyes and folded her arms.

Hermione gestured toward the stairs. "We still have Astronomy tonight. Do you want to see if Madam Pomfrey will let us visit Harry?"

Sylvia shook her head. "I'd like to, but the last test took a lot out of me. I'm going to head back to my common room and take a nap."

Hermione nodded and left the corridor with Ron. Padma waited for her sister before leaving as well. Sylvia returned to her house and lay down on one of the couches.

….

The remaining two weeks of school flew by, and before anyone knew it, it was the last day. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for the end of term feast. Banners for Slytherin house decorated the area, representing their victory for the House Cup. Slytherin continued to cheer excitedly while the other houses merely simmered in defeat.

Draco beamed with pride and turned toward Sylvia. "See, thanks to me, we're now in the lead and will win the house cup. That ought to dampen Potter's parade."

Sylvia glared at him. "What you did was sneaky and mean. We don't deserve to win."

He rolled his eyes at her. “Defending them? Slytherin’s going to win. Get over it.”

McGonagall called for attention, and everyone quieted down as Dumbledore stood to make his announcement.

"Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding. And the points stand thus." Dumbledore gestured to the individual tables. "In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve points. Third place: Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty-two points. In second place: Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty-six points. And in first place with four hundred and seventy-two points, Slytherin house."

The Slytherin table went into a roar of cheers while all the other tables groaned even more.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, well done, Slytherin. Well done. However, recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award."

The entire hall especially Slytherin looked at their Headmaster, baffled.

Dumbledore directed his attention at Gryffindor table. "To Ms. Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect and reasoning while others were in great peril, fifty points. Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, fifty points." He gave a warm smile. "And third, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage. Sixty points."

The Gryffindor table happily applauded.

Blaise did the math in his head. "They've tied with us."

The rest of the Slytherins shared glances, and Draco himself felt on edge. He stared at Harry, whom was basking in the approval of his housemates.

_Of course, Potter gets extra points for showing off. And enough to almost beat us even._ Draco frowned.  _So is that how this is going to end? What a bloody rip off._

"Lastly, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom."

The Gryffindors cheered again. Gasps of disapproval erupted amongst the Slytherins.

Pansy's face went red. "You have to be bloody kidding me. Those Gryffindors. They just won. He can't do that!"

"Now if my calculations are correct, I believe a change of decoration is in order." Dumbledore changed the Slytherin banners to Gryffindor ones. "Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"

All of the tables except for Slytherin cheered, but this was followed by a sudden outburst. The sixth year Slytherin prefect, Gemma Farley, quickly rose from her seat, drawing everyone's attention.

"Headmaster, that's not fair. What about Hexington?” Farley pointed in her direction. "She was with those Gryffindors as well. Why haven't you awarded her any points?"

The rest of the table muttered in approval, their eyes focused on their Headmaster. Draco glanced at Sylvia. Her head was lowered from being put on the spot. He sighed. As much as he felt she shouldn't have been there, especially with the trio, Farley was right. Sylvia deserved to be awarded points as well.

Ron groaned and banged his head against the table. "Oh no, he's giving Slytherin even more points. Now we've lost for sure."

Hermione put a finger to her lips. "Shush."

Dumbledore simply nodded. "Thank you, Ms. Farley. I am well aware of Ms. Hexington's actions. However, I do not believe they were made under good intentions. She only put herself in harms way."

A hiss of disapproval erupted from the Slytherins only to be silenced by the stern look Dumbledore gave them. Unfortunately, they were already riled up and proceeded to glare at their Headmaster like actual snakes ready to strike at any moment.

Sylvia sprung from her seat, her face red. "It's okay. I don't need them."

A chorus of "What!" echoed from the tables.

Sylvia shifted her gaze from the Gryffindor table to Dumbledore. "They deserve to win; they've earned it. I don't need to be awarded anything. I'm just happy that my friends are alright." She sat back down, the glares of her housemates immediately snapping to her.

Gasps erupted throughout the room. Everyone looked toward Sylvia in surprise and shock that she would betray her own house like that.

Dumbledore sat back down. "Then my decision remains. The house cup goes to Gryffindor. And I'm sure the students of Slytherin would be happy to try again next year."

The rest of the tables returned to their celebration, almost a little too happy that their Headmaster hadn't given Slytherin any leeway.

Draco stared at Sylvia. "Hexington, you traitor! Why the bloody hell did you do that? We could have won!"

"It was meaningless to keep arguing. Professor Dumbledore clearly made up his mind. Besides—" Sylvia left the table and made her way over to the Gryffindors. "You cheaters don't deserve any points that I earn." 

Hats were thrown into the air, the school cheering Gryffindor's victory. Meanwhile Draco slammed his hat on the table. That witch, negatively speaking, how dare she. He scowled and watched Sylvia celebrate with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the other students.

_That traitor. That mud-blood loving, Potter worshiping traitor._ Gripping his hands into tight fists, he pursed lips before muttering, "This isn't over."

….

After the ceremony, everyone was at the train station in Hogsmeade. Students loaded their luggage and started to board the Hogwarts Express. Sylvia snuck away from Draco and made her way over to the trio. 

"Harry! Hermione! Ron!" She stopped in front of them and caught her breath. "I don't have a lot of time, but I wanted to say goodbye."

Harry looked at her before narrowing his to something behind her. "Will you be okay?"

She glanced back and saw Draco waiting on the platform with a scowl on his face.

Sylvia half smiled. "I'll manage. Don't worry."

"Guess you won't be able to write to us," Hermione said.

"That'll just give us more to talk about when the next term start." She put her right fist under her left hand and politely bowed. "It's been an honor hanging out with you, and I hope we can do more of this next year." 

Hermione nodded. "Yes, this year has definitely been interesting."

Ron snorted. "You really are the weirdest Slytherin."

Harry smiled. "See you next year."

Sylvia smiled and returned to Draco, who was glaring daggers at her.

"Don't look so chipper, Sylvia. When my parents find out about the thing's you've done, you better hope one of them is willing to take you in," Draco said.

She stared him straight in the eye. "Then it was worth it."

Sylvia boarded the train, feeling happier than she had in a while, and found their compartment.

She sat by the window and stared out at the castle in the distance.  _I can't believe it. The year is over already, and despite everything, I can't wait to go back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Year One


End file.
